Hybrid Theory
by Lionheart021
Summary: During his final battle with Aizen...a stray thought illuminates his world like never before. Truths will be revealed and the darkness surrounding his birth will be lifted. All that's left is for him to reach out and grasp his destiny. There will be no obstacle that will stop him from protecting those he loves now. Transcendent Ichigo. Skilled Ichigo. Independent Ichigo.
1. chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Bleach…by all right, it belongs to Tite Kubo.**

"Talking **"**

'Thoughts **'**

 **[Mugetsu talking]**

" **Attack Names"**

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 **Chapter 1: The Genesis of a Hybrid**

15 year old Kurosaki Ichigo watched on, not sure what to feel, as his arch nemesis and enemy of the world, Aizen Souske, tried in vain to fight off the sealing kido that Urahara Kisuke implanted within him. As the nails of red kido took effect, Ichigo though back to how this happened.

 ***Flashback***

Ichigo and Aizen, minutes prior, were having a titanic showdown on the outskirts of Karakura Town. The force of their blows and the intensity of their reiatsu literally rewrote the landscape. It was as if two gods descended from the heavens and were clashing over their ideals. It wasn't too far from the truth. With the Hogyoku continuously granting Aizen power by evolving his very being to unimaginable levels along with Ichigo reaching the peak of power that any Shinigami could possible hope to achieve, these two behemoths were in a league of their own.

It was incomprehensible to Aizen, that Kurosaki Ichigo could reach this level in such a short period of time. Despite the numerous chances that Aizen had to end the life of his current adversary, he never once did…viewing the teen as an amusing side-show for him to enjoy. He was well aware of the heritage that the boy carried and his scientific curiosity got the better of him as he wished to see what would happen if he was to be pushed to the brink. He never expected the result to manifest in such a manner. For the entirety of the battle thus far, Kurosaki Ichigo controlled the flow and didn't even seem to be breaking a sweat as he man-handled Aizen, who achieved an unprecedented level of transcendence thanks to the Hogyoku. Which was baffling as just a few hours prior, the Substitute Shinigami could barely even stand in his presence without shaking in fear. For the first time in a long time, Aizen felt a sliver of fear race down his spine. It only lasted a second before it was ruthlessly crushed beneath his assurance he had in the artefact implanted within him. A traitorous though echoed in his mind though, one questioning whether he should of dealt with the boy when he had the chance.

Ichigo, for his part, marvelled at the sensations he felt. It wasn't so much the mind numbingly incomprehensible levels of power that he felt thrum beneath his skin as it was the feeling of tranquillity. Ever since that fateful day that Kuchiki Rukia transferred her powers to him, he always had this sense of discomfort. At first he chalked it up to it not being his own powers that caused him to feel uncomfortable. He never brought it up with anyone, not that he had anyone besides Rukia to ask. When he went through the Shattered Shaft training and regained his powers, the feeling of awkwardness persisted. It wasn't so much as discomfort as it was a feeling of something lacking. At the time he didn't have much time to ponder about it as he had to rescue Rukia. After he completed his task, he chalked up the strange feeling to the fact that he somehow had a Hollow inside of him. He tried to ruthlessly supress it, but it persisted. He figured that he couldn't simply let it go so he learned to life with the feeling of inadequacy. But now, for the first time in his life, he felt a strange feeling of completeness. His reiryoku, normally so chaotic and frenzied, felt calm and in his complete control. His power felt like an extension of him, as easy to manipulate as an arm or leg. The feeling was absolutely euphoric to him.

Ichigo went on to activate his Final Getsuga Tenshou and split Aizen in half. Although, to his horror, it seemed that the power of the Hogyoku was able to withstand even an attack of that magnitude. Aizen started to regenerate right in front of his eyes, while Ichigo's final form began to recede.

As Aizen stood in triumph over Ichigo, his body became inundated with red nails of kido. Which was explained as a sealing kido by the arriving Urahara Kisuke.

 ***Flashback End***

Which brings us to the present situation. Aizen tried his best to fight of the kido, but it was too much for him. Ichigo watched in dispassionately, thinking how convenient is was that it was his ultimate attack that weakened Aizen enough for Kisuke's kido to activate. He wondered of that was part of the shopkeepers plan. He didn't have time to dwell on it though, as he could feel his power slowly leaving him.

It was a bittersweet moment for him. He will never regret what he did. He was a protector by nature. If it meant that his friends and family could be safe, he would make this sacrifice a hundred times over. That didn't mean that it was something he enjoyed. After finally feeling what it was like to wield his power unimpeded, it felt like a hollow victory for him. As he felt his consciousness slip away, he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if he could have felt that way earlier. If he could have complete control of his powers. It was a selfish desire to have, but he wanted to feel the harmonious feeling of his reiatsu once again. It made him feel complete. He wished he didn't have to lose his powers now that he finally had some level of understanding of himself. There was still so many questions left to answer. His father is a Shinigami, a former captain if the tattered haori he was wearing was anything to go by. Why didn't he say anything earlier? What more was being kept from him? There was so many unanswered questions, so many mysteries that he failed to solve. So much about himself that everyone else seemed to know about but nobody bothered to explain to him. He was always kept in the dark, given enough information for him to get by, but not enough for him to understand his place in the world. He wanted to know more. He wanted the truth. He wanted to understand himself.

As his world turned to darkness, Ichigo didn't know that there was something nearby that heard his desire. The struggling Aizen and the stoic Kisuke never noticed the slight glow that came from the chest of Aizen.

The Hogyoku, in its final act before allowing itself to be sealed away, granted the deepest desire of the one it has come to acknowledge as its true master after the supreme power and unbending determination that he displayed. It granted the deepest desires of Kurosaki Ichigo, a lonely and lost soul who made the ultimate sacrifice for the world, along with another rejected soul that was in the vicinity. It was the final act it performed as it sealed itself away for good. Leaving the fate of the world in the capable hands of its chosen warrior.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

Darkness.

That was all that could be perceived as Kurosaki Ichigo floated aimlessly in whatever strange place he found himself in.

The weightless feeling along with his melancholy mood made it so that he didn't care much about what was happening. He was still reeling from the loss of his power. He fell into an all too familiar trap that people in similar situations fall into.

Reminiscing on what he could have done differently.

He wondered if he trained harder. If he put more focus into his control. If he had done more research and gathered more information about his enemies before stubbornly rushing in. If made a greater effort to understand himself.

There were so many 'what if's' that he considered. So many lost opportunities.

It should have been a good thing. He always did want to be more normal ever since he discovered his ability to see ghosts. This would give him what he wanted.

But now he realised…he could never be normal. He was meant for greater things. But that was all going away now.

He wondered if his mother would be proud of him right now. A sting of agony and guilt flooded his being at the thought of his beautiful mother. So warm and compassionate. She was the centre of his universe until she was cruelly ripped away. If only he knew then what he knows now, maybe he could have prevented her death. He wouldn't have been so brash and unknowingly rushed into such a dangerous situation. Maybe she would still be with them. As he lamented his failures…the world around him started to twist through a kaleidoscope of colours as it restructured itself.

Gleaming skyscrapers shot out of the ground as they raced up to the now clear night sky above him. It was dark, but strangely comforting. There was no moon in the sky, only a splattering of bright stars that illuminated the magnificent city.

The air around him became more crisp and clean.

There was a park that took formation in the middle of the city, along with a sparkling blue river running through it.

At the edge of the marvellous city, tall green trees could be seen as the perfect blend of urban innovation and the serenity of nature infused itself into his surroundings.

Ichigo got to his feet in shock as he looked around. This looked alarmingly like his inner world. The huge skyscrapers were intimately familiar to him. The greenery though, that was new. He didn't know what was happening. He should have lost his powers. All of this should have gone away.

A faint hope began to bloom in his chest.

"Ossan!" He called out, hoping to get some response from his Zanpakutō. His voiced just echoed off the buildings as the vast emptiness of the area became apparent. "Hollow!" He tried, resorting to even calling for the Hollow that had made his life so difficult in the past few months. He still didn't get a response.

He was starting to get nervous. He had no idea what was happening. He wanted answers, but there didn't seem to be anyone around to provide them.

As he was starting to panic…he heard a faint strumming noise.

He strained his ears to pick up the sound and was rewarded with a gentle, heavenly melody that reverberated throughout the entire silent city. The melody was calming and soothed all of his fears and anxieties. It was calling out to him.

Almost as if he was in a trance, he walked towards the source of the sound. After many twists and turns, at which point the melody became louder and clearer as he went on, Ichigo finally came to a stop in front of the place that seemed to be the source of the beautiful tune.

It was an anomaly in this world populated by towering skyscrapers. It was a quaint Japanese styled house. It was medium sized and quite beautifully maintained. Ichigo found it quite warm, like he was home.

Without even thinking, he walked through the gates, crossed the front lawn and entered the house. There were tatami on the floor and sumi-e (Japanese ink art) lined on the walls. All in all, it suited the archetype of the traditional Japanese home. The melody seemed to be coming from the back yard, so Ichigo made his way towards the sliding door and stepped out.

He was met with more beautiful scenery. The grass was a healthy shade of green and perfectly cut. There was a large koi pond at the far end of the property with many small shrubs lining the fence. The largest attraction though was the huge sakura tree in the middle of the yard. It was beautifully cultivated and provided ample shade along with setting the atmosphere with the bright pink petals blowing in the cool autumn wind.

None of these wonderful sights were the ones that drew Ichigo's attention though. It was something even more mesmerising that his eyes zoned in on. In the middle of the yard, sitting elegantly underneath the sakura tree, gently strumming a moon guitar with numerous pink sakura petals falling around her, was perhaps the most beautiful woman Ichigo has ever seen in his life.

She sat in seiza, which only seemed to enhance her seemingly fragile and demure beauty. She was dressed in an exquisite black silk kimono with intricate purple designs running along the edges. She had midnight black hair that seemed to suck in all the light from around her with a small portion pulled to the back that was held in place with a pin barrette in the shape of a crescent moon that seemed to be made of bone fragments with various charms hanging down from it along with unblemished porcelain skin that could be seen from her elegant fingers and her beautiful feet that were left bare. Her lips were plump and a healthy shade of pink. Her eyebrows were immaculate and her facial structure screamed nobility. Her eyes though, were piercing and seemed to cut into his very soul. They were a startling shade of purple and shined beautifully. That along with her seemingly immaculate mannerisms and casual beauty, made Ichigo feel like he was in the presence of an Empress.

A melodious laugh brought Ichigo out of his musings. The woman before him laughed demurely behind her hand as she gazed at him.

 **[It is flattering that you have such high praise for me, Ichigo-sama]**. The woman said. Her voice just as hauntingly beautiful as the rest of her.

That snapped Ichigo out of his trance as he scrutinised the ethereal woman before him. She had a warm smile on her face as she gazed at him, something that caught him off guard. He mentally smacked himself for having been caught up in his musings. This woman could be the enemy. He had no idea what was happening.

"W-Who are you? Where's Zangetsu-ossan?!" Ichigo demanded.

The woman still just smiled at him as she gestured to a place in front of her.

 **[Zangetsu isn't here anymore. I'm sure you have already figured that out]**. She replied, confirming Ichigo's fears. He let out a shaky breath as he took a seat opposite the woman. He wanted so badly to freak out right now but he didn't want to put on an unseemly display before this regal looking woman. So he swallowed his anxieties for later and peered expectantly at her, for she seemed to hold the answers that he needed.

 **[I know you have a lot on your mind right now, and there is a lot you wish to know. I will do my best to explain to you the circumstances that led to this. All I ask of you is that you be patient and allow me to explain]**. The woman suggested. Ichigo took the time to calm his beating heart and get himself under control. He gave the woman a nod, signalling her to go on. **[To answer your previous question, Zangetsu is here no longer. You will never be able to meet him again]**. She told him bluntly with an expressionless look on her face. Ichigo's expression was one of anguish as he heard those words. It was a horrible reality to face for him at the thought of not seeing his partner again. **[In case you're wondering, it has nothing to do with the** _ **'Final Getsuga Tenshou'**_ **that you performed]**. She finished, using air quotes when mentioning the **Final Getsuga Tenshou**. Ichigo's head snapped up in shock at her words.

"What! Then how!?" He asked frantically. Nothing was making sense to him anymore. He though he lost his Shinigami powers, and by extension his Zanpakutō when he used his ultimate technique. But now this woman was saying that is wasn't the case.

 **[Do you remember the last thoughts you had before you lost consciousness?]**. She asked him. Ichigo shook his head negatively. **[You desired to keep your powers, to better understand yourself, to once again feel the level of completeness that the** _ **'Final Getsuga Tenshou'**_ **momentarily granted you]**. She informed him. Ichigo seemed to faintly recall thinking such things before the darkness encompassed him. **[What happened, Ichigo-sama, was that your wish was granted]**. She said, confusing him. **[You see, when you thought these things, your desire for the truth was strong, coupled with the transcendent state you were in along with the tenacity you've showed, it was enough for the Hogyoku to grant your deepest desire]**. She stated. A look of horror appeared on Ichigo's face at the mention of the orb that was at the centre of the entire war that was fought. The thought that he was influenced in some way by that artefact was frightening. The woman chuckled elegantly into the back of her had at the sight of Ichigo's expression. He was just too cute for his own good. **[Relax Ichigo-sama, the Hogyoku is still implanted within Aizen Souske. From what I was able to gather, it sealed itself away after you defeated him]**. She informed him, making him sigh in relief.

"So how did it grant my wish?" He questioned confusedly, as he scratched his head.

 **[By uniting the opposing forces within you]**. She answered simply. **[The power that you carry is unique. No individual in the history of the world has ever had the potential that you do. However, the forces within you were constantly clashing with one another. That resulted in your powers fighting against you. It is the reason why you felt so uncomfortable with your own power and why is was so difficult for you to control]**.

Ichigo nodded slowly, still not fully comprehending what she had meant by the forces within him. Was she referring to the hollow?

 **[I can see you're still a bit confused, so allow me to inform you of your origins. It was a truth that has been hidden from you for far too long. I believe you deserve to know it. You see Ichigo-sama, while your father was a former Shinigami captain…your mother on the other hand, was a pureblood Quincy, one of the last and most powerful]**. She informed him, making Ichigo freeze in shock, his mind barely comprehending what he had just heard. It shattered most of the beliefs he had in the way of the world thus far. It was incomprehensible to him.

"M-mom? A Quincy?! Is this some kind of sick joke?! Are you here to get revenge for Aizen by twisting my mind with your lies?!" Ichigo raged, barely able to maintain his sanity in the wake of the revelations.

The woman was expressionless from the onslaught of Ichigo's anger and confusion, though if you looked deeper, you would see the sliver of hurt she felt at his accusations. But she knew that he could not be blamed. These truths were hard to bear for him, especially considering all that he's been through and for how long it has been kept hidden.

Ichigo continued to hurl abuse at the woman, who just sat calmly and took it all. After a few minutes, he seemed to have got all that he needed to out of his system. He was taking deep breaths, trying to make sense of the situation. He was so lost, so confused. As he look to the source of his anger, he couldn't help but feel ashamed of himself. Regardless of whether she was speaking the truth or not, he should have never treated her in such a way. His beloved mother raised him to be a gentleman. He always did his best to respect woman, except for when they were completely undeserving of it, like Soi-Fon. Most people call him a prude, but he didn't care. The woman before him has been nothing but accommodating, and courteous, he had no right to go off like he did.

"I'm sorry miss. I had no right to speak to you in such a manner. Please forgive me." Ichigo said with an apologetic expression on his face.

The woman smiled a beautiful smile in return, clearly looking like she expected no less from him.

 **[I understand Ichigo-sama. It must be a lot to take in. But please believe me when I say that I would never lie to you. It goes against my very nature, for I would rather die than do such a thing]**. She declared. The resolve and determination in her eyes took Ichigo by surprise. He didn't think he would get that kind of reaction from her. It was mind-boggling to him. He decided, at least till he knew more, to trust this woman's words. She didn't seem to be the deceitful type. And more than anything, he was desperate for the truth. After giving her a nod, she smiled in relief before continuing. **[Like I was saying, your mother was a pureblood Quincy, however, some time before you were born, she was attacked and infected by a Vasto Lord level hollow. It infected her very soul and even though she managed to survive, a piece of it was always within her. Until you came along that is]**. Ichigo was listening with intrigue, he didn't know what else to do in this situation. **[When you were conceived, considering your hybrid nature along with the unnaturally large reiryoku reserves you possessed even as a foetus, the hollow latched onto your soul, which was still young and malleable. The result was you being a more natural version of the ones you call Vizard's]**. She finished.

Ichigo sat in silence, digesting all that he had been told.

"So my inner hollow….came from my mother? I thought that it was the result of the Shattered Shaft training that Geta-boushi made me go through to regain my powers?" He questioned.

 **[Not entirely…it just brought forward that aspect of your soul much faster than it normally would have. However, what I want you to take from this, Ichigo-sama, is that you are a hybrid of all three supernatural races. The most natural blend of Shinigami, Quincy, Hollow and Human]**. She gave Ichigo some time to process that revelation. He looked to be taking it well for the most part, but she knew that he was doing his best to supress any explosive reactions in favour of listening to what she had to say. It was quite endearing of him. **[With that being said, let me ask you this. If you have three aspects of the supernatural residing within you…why did you only have two spirits dwelling inside of you? More importantly, which spirit represented which power?]**. She questioned him.

Ichigo's eyes widened at that thought. Now that he thought about it, and now that he had a clearer understanding of who he was, it didn't make much sense to him. It looked like he really didn't know much about himself at all.

 **[What I'm going to tell you may upset you, Ichigo-sama, but please understand that it is all the truth]**. She warned, getting a hesitant nod in return from the still dazed boy. **[You see, throughout all the battles you've fought through thus far…not once have you ever used your Shinigami powers]**. She dropped the bombshell, making him splutter in indignation.

"Wha-? That's crazy! I have a Zanpakutō, I achieved Shikai along with my Bankai! How the hell do you explain that!?" Ichigo shouted.

 **[Simple, when a soul enters Shin** **ō** **Academy for Shinigami training, they are given an Asauchi, essentially a blank sword, which allows them to imprint their soul onto it, eventually leading to them awakening their Zanpakutō. It is the base of every Zanpakutō in existence, even the Sou-taicho. There can be no Zanpakutō without an Asauchi. Which begs the question…how did you have a Zanpakutō when you never given an Asauchi to imprint upon?]**. She questioned rhetorically. Ichigo's eyes widened at that bit of information. Nobody ever told him that. **[The answer is simple Ichigo-sama, from the very beginning…you were never using your Shinigami powers to begin with]**. Ichigo gaped at her. It was all so crazy sounding to him that he wanted to just flip a table in frustration, but this woman seemed so sincere and forthcoming in her words. It didn't help that there was some primal part of him that seemed to agree with her words. Like they somehow made sense to him. **[You see, from the formation of your 'Shikai', to your signature move, the Getsuga Tenshou', to your Bankai…all of it was done with subconscious reishi manipulation. It was basically you wielding a fake set of powers that never even existed in the first place. Let me ask you another question…when you refer to the one known as Zangetsu…are you referring to the pale version of yourself, or the gentleman in the dark clothing?]**. She inquired knowingly.

"The old-man obviously. He's Zangetsu. The other is my inner hollow." Ichigo answered robotically, still reeling from the information dump. The woman just smiled apologetically at him in return.

 **[I'm sorry to say this but, the one you refer to as your inner hollow has always been Zangetsu]**. She informed him. Ichigo choked on his saliva at that absurd statement. It went against everything he believed in. The very basis of all his struggles lay at the feet of that damned hollow. **[I told you that you inherited that hollow from your mother remember. When you were born it latched onto your soul, more specifically, the Shinigami portion of your soul, as hollows are extremely poisonous to Quincies. The one you refer to as your inner hollow was actually a representation of both your Hollow and Shinigami powers. The man in the dark clothing however, he was a representation of your Quincy abilities. Therefore, as previously stated…you were never using any Shinigami powers to begin with nor were you wielding your true Zanpakutō. It was all a façade created by your 'Inner Quincy']**.

Ichigo felt nauseated at what he was hearing. He couldn't help but think back to his training with the Vizard's.

 ***Flashback***

"Where's Zangetsu-ossan?!" Ichigo demanded as he stood across from his Hollow in his inner world.

" **Still haven't figured it out? When you say Zangetsu do you mean the one in your hands? Or the one…in mine! Wanna know where Zangetsu is? The truth is…I AM ZANGETSU!"** His Hollow roared as it charged at him.

 ***Flashback End***

All this time…his Hollow…no Zangetsu was telling him the truth. All he did was reject everything Zangetsu ever said or did…trying desperately to detach himself from associating with anything to do with him. Instead he believed in and trusted a man who seemed to be lying to him and manipulating him from the very beginning.

 **[Did it not occur to you…the parallels between the so-called** _ **'Final Getsuga Tenshou'**_ **and the** _ **Letz Stil**_ **technique that was used by your Quincy friend, Ishida Uryu? Back when you invaded Soul Society, he was barely at the level of the weaker lieutenants, yet with that technique, he effortlessly defeated a Captain at the cost of his powers. Does it sound familiar to you?]**.

"Why?" Ichigo whispered brokenly…the very foundations of his belief and existence being shattered before him. "Why would my, 'Inner Quincy' as you say, do this to me?"

 **[The man that you thought of as Zangetsu, actually has a name…one that all Quincy and some Shinigami know of…his name is Yhwach]**. She stated. **[He is the greatest enemy Soul Society has ever known…far greater that any threat Aizen Souske could have posed. He is known as the Quincy King…the progenitor of the entire race. His blood runs through the veins of all Quincy. Most never experience him the way you have though. Due to your hybrid nature and having an inner world…your Quincy aspect actually gained sentience in the form of Yhwach from 1000 years ago…before he was sealed away by Yamamoto Genryuusei. His motives are hard to understand. From what I can gather…he wanted you to be powerless, to live a normal life free from the spiritual world. For his greatest fear was that if you kept on the path you were…he would eventually kill you]**.

"Kill me? Why would a part of my own soul want to kill me? Wouldn't that mean he would cease to exist as well?" Ichigo questioned.

 **[No Ichigo-sama. There is a legend passed down amongst the Quincy…it goes like this: 'The sealed King of the Quincy…whose heart began beating again after nine centuries…whose reason and intelligence then followed nine decades later…and whose strength came back nine years after that'. It means that the enemy known as Yhwach is still alive and is only a few years away from fully awakening. Normally, this would be of no consequence to you…however…I believe you will be most interested in this development in regards to how it affects your mother's death]**. As soon as the words left her mouth, the air became heavy with Ichigo's reiatsu. His eyes sharpened and zeroed in on her in a way that sent chills down her spine. **[Remember, your mother was a Quincy, a pureblood one at that. She was at the level of a Captain-Class fighter. She defeated an extremely powerful Vasto Lord when she was still a teenager. So how is it that a regular, weak Hollow like Grand Fisher was able to kill her? Logic dictates that she would have swatted him aside like a bug. However, there is a ritual that was carried out on that fateful day. The 'Holy Selection of the Quincy', Auswh** **ӓlen** **. In order to achieve full power…Yhwach hand-picked what he deemed as 'impure' Quincies and took their powers for his own. It was an unfortunate coincidence that the moment Yhwach initiated Auswhal** **ӓ** **en, your mother was attacked by a Hollow, leaving her defenceless]**. Ichigo sat in silence. He could feel a small gathering of tears as he heard the story of his mother's bad luck.

It didn't make him less upset about her death, but he felt as though a small weight was lifted off his shoulders. It was a though the veil that was hampering his vision was slowly peeled away and he could finally perceive the truths of the world. For the last seven years, he spent almost every waking minute wondering if his mother would still be alive if he wasn't so stupid as to, unknowingly, rush straight in to danger like he did. He bore the brunt of her death on his shoulders, feeling the guilt and self-loathing eating away at him on a daily basis. He wished he could go back and do things differently…Now though, this new information…it lifted the burden he's been hauling around for the last seven years. His mother was strong. She was a powerful woman who could take care of herself. It was the tyranny of this Yhwach character coupled with her bad luck that led to her death. For the first time in a long time…Ichigo felt like he could maybe start to move on. For the longest time, he sought to punish himself. He was always rushing into danger, when he invaded Soul Society to save Rukia or when he invaded Hueco Mundo for Orihime…he never put much value in his life as he was always prepared to sacrifice himself. Maybe it was his way of self-atonement. It was a subconscious thing. He would never know. But now that he knew the truth….he would try to move on…to honour the memory of his mother rather than to seek self-punishment for her death.

The woman looked on impassively as Ichigo struggled with the information that was presented to him. She knew it was a risk to reveal everything him, but it needed to be done. For far too long has he been kept in the dark, hampered from reaching his true potential. She needed him to trust her. To know that she has his best interests at heart. He couldn't go on denying a part of himself any longer. She knew though, that he had the strength of mind to overcome this hurdle and embrace his true nature. And she would be with him every step of the way, supporting and empowering him.

"Why? Why didn't dad tell me any of this? Who else knew?" Ichigo questioned bitterly.

 **[As far as I know, Urahara Kisuke, Shihohin Yoruichi, Tsukabishi Tessai and Ishida Ryuuken were all aware of your situation and the circumstances surrounding you]**. She informed him.

Ichigo gritted his teeth as his face contorted in anger in anger. All this time, they knew what really happened. All these years he's been suffering with the guilt that's been eating away at him. Why didn't anybody ever say anything? Why didn't his father explain this to him when he awakened his powers? Was it because they needed him to sacrifice himself to defeat Aizen? Did they want him ignorant and fumbling about, never knowing the true scope of his very soul? Knowing Kisuke, that's probably exactly what is was about. Whenever he had a question, the answers he received only led to even more questions. He was only given just enough to get him by, leading to him charging headfirst into any situation with his reckless behaviour and disregard for his own safety. He was the perfect weapon. Self-sacrificing and obedient. It was like it was some big game to them and he was the entertainment. Okay, maybe that isn't how it is. They weren't malicious people by nature. Maybe it truly was for the good of the world. It means little to him though, who seemed to be everybody's puppet in this grand game called life. Whether it was Aizen, Kisuke, his father or even this Yhwach character…everybody seemed to have more say about his life than he did. That ends today.

He took a deep breath to calm himself, his anger slowly ebbing away. He knew that Kisuke and Yoruichi were good people, the surely had a reason for doing what they did. He wouldn't begrudge them that. However, just because he could understand the motivations behind their actions it didn't mean that he could overlook them just like that. The same goes for his father. He surely had a reason for keeping this all for him. Maybe he didn't want Ichigo involved in the supernatural world. In a life of constant fights and struggles. It was too late for that though, he was already deeply immersed in it. He could understand his father wanting to protect him from the truth, it sometimes could be more damaging than any lie could ever hope to be. But in this case, his father made the wrong choice. Knowing what he knows now could have changed so much and helped him more than they could ever know. So while he could never hate his father, for the man always did his best for his family, there was a measure of trust that Ichigo lost towards him and probably wouldn't gain back for a while. The same goes for Kisuke and Yoruichi.

He looked into the eyes of the woman, his gaze piercing her very soul. She didn't shy away from his gaze, instead she met it head on, baring her soul to him with a warm smile on her face.

"There are no words that I can say that could convey how much I appreciate what you just told me. You freed me from the shackles I placed upon myself all those years ago. I can finally try look towards the future with a hope that didn't exist before." He said to her, before his eyes sharpened dangerously. "That begs the question though…who are you?"

 **[You should already know the answer to that question, Ichigo-sama. I told you, the Hogyoku granted your deepest desire and inadvertently acted as the catalyst to unite the powers within you, allowing to achieve a perfect balance, far more so then what Aizen Souske attempted. It not only united the powers dwelling in your soul, but also allowed Kyoka Suigetsu, who was rejected by her wielder, to join in the unification process…granting her desire for a kind and compassionate wielder who would not abuse her powers…I am the amalgamation of Zangetsu, Kyoka Suigetsu and the portion of Yhwach that resided in your soul, creating something new and more in tune with your nature. I know all that they know, but I am a completely different entity. Who I am, is the representation of your power, your truest partner, the reflection of your soul. I am your true Zanpakutō. My name is-]**.

"Mugetsu." Ichigo whispered almost reverently, causing a happy smile to appear on the face of the now named, Mugetsu. The name was instinctive to Ichigo. He didn't even realise he said it till she reacted. It just came so naturally to him. Like it was always sitting on the tip of his tongue.

 **[That is correct Ichigo-sama. I am Mugetsu. I am your Zanpakutō. The real one this time. It is a pleasure to meet you]**. She bowed to him, which he returned in mind. **[My name, as you may have noticed is the same as the attack you used in the** _ **'Final Getsuga Tenshou'**_ **form. For it was in that state that you came the closest to wielding your true power, which was why you felt so comfortable compared to the normal discomfort you felt when wielding your power]**. She informed him.

"Mugetsu." Ichigo whispered, tasting the name on his tongue. He smiled warmly at her. "I look forward to getting to know you." He said to her, before suddenly jolting in realisation. "But wait…I could feel my power leaving me before I passed out. What exactly is happening?"

 **[It very simple, you are transcending]**. Mugetsu answered. **[Do you remember when Aizen Souske was continuously evolving? He eventually reached a point at which his reiatsu could no longer be felt by others. You achieved such a state temporarily as well. Unlike Aizen though, who was artificial, you are a perfect transcendent. All your power flows naturally within you. You are everything he wished he could be. You felt your power 'leaving' so to speak when it was actually evolving. In about two weeks, it will seem to others as if you have no reiatsu due to the face that you have transcended so far beyond their understanding]**. She explained.

Ichigo took in all she said, a look of deep contemplation on his face. He would normally be freaking out right about now…but Mugetsu's presence, now that he knows who she truly is, soothed him. Add in the fact that he finally made a bit of peace with his mother's death…it made him think a little more before rushing in as he normally would have done, for even though most people wrote him off as a brute or a delinquent…Ichigo was rather intelligent. His being in the top 25 students in his school proved that. He could think when he needed to. So he sat in contemplation, trying to figure out his next move.

Mugetsu sat patiently beside him, waiting to hear what her wielder has to say.

"You said that in a few days, nobody will be able to sense my reiatsu. How sure are you of that? Can I really bypass the senses of the Shinigami, and that includes whatever machines Kisuke or Kurotsuchi could come up with?" He question intently.

 **[Hai. I'm absolutely positive. Like I said, your reiatsu will be on a level that would not be comprehensible to them. In terms of mathematics…you would be a five-dimensional polygon in a world filled with three-dimensional beings. You are on a completely different plane of existence as compared to them. Even their tracker won't be able to take in your reiryoku any longer]**. She said.

"Wait…what tracker?" Ichigo blinked in confusion.

 **[Oh! I didn't tell you about that yet. The Combat Pass that you were given, it isn't really an artefact that holds any authority. What it does is takes in your reiryoku for them to analyse and dissect. It allows them to listen in on your conversations and ascertain your threat level. In layman's terms…it's a device they use to spy on you and make sure they are in control]**.

Ichigo just exhaled deeply at that revelation. He honestly expected it to be something like that. He remembered how the Shinigami on duty in Karakura Town, Imoyama or something, didn't even recognise the Combat Pass. It was a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that they were spying on him. Even after all they have been through. He couldn't expect any different though. The Soul Society was a hypocritical place filled with hypocritical, self-righteous people. He looked past all that in these last few months, as he was always zeroed in on some kind of enemy. Ironically, almost all the enemies he's dealt with on their behalf originated from the Gotei 13.

"Very well. They believe that I am going to lose my powers soon. Let's keep it that way. When my power finally stabilises and evolves as you said it would…let them assume that I have indeed lost my powers. While I do care for some of them and have no intention of harming anyone…I'm tired of being their weapon. I refuse to be used by anyone any longer, whether it's the Soul Society or Urahara Kisuke. I'll just pretend that I'm a regular human again while going on with my life. If there are any threats to my family or my town, I will deal with it. But from now on, the Soul Society needs to learn to deal with their own problems." Ichigo declared resolutely. "Although I feel bad for my friends like Rukia or Renji, I can't take any chances. I can't be sure if they know about the situation. Renji is a lieutenant so there is a chance he does know and is in on it. I will decide what the nature of our future relationship will be from their reactions to me 'losing' my power. If they truly are my friends, they will prove it in that time. Until then, I'll just feign ignorance. Knowing those idiots in the Central 46 and the attitude of some of the Captains, they will see me as a threat now that I have the power to defeat someone like Aizen. If they didn't think I was losing my powers, I can comfortably see myself being executed or sharing a prison cell with Aizen."

Ichigo can honestly say that is the most likely scenario if he spoke the truth. They would label him a dangerous threat and execute him on site. While he may have helped them change a few of their more archaic traditions, he has no doubt that he will be put down for the 'greater good' of Soul Society. This was the same place that almost executed Rukia without hesitation because she helped save his life. As long as the Central 46 orders it, he was no doubt that the Captain's would obediently carry out any order, even those he regarded as his friends.

It wasn't something that he enjoyed thinking about as he honestly considered some of them his close friends, having fought alongside them these past few months. But if you consider his defeat of Aizen, his absurd growth level, factor in his Hollow nature…and you have a recipe for disaster. If they found out about his mother being a Quincy, he would not be surprised in the slightest if that disgusting piece of vermin, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, petitioned to have him experimented on. Considering all the heinous crimes he's been allowed to get away with, Ichigo isn't holding his breath for the Sou-taicho to deny him. For far too long has he been looking at the Soul Society through rose tinted glasses. There are many things wrong with the place and he wilfully ignored them as he tried not to think about the situation of the ordinary souls. Greed, corruption and arrogance have permeated the Gotei 13 at its very core. For the longest time they have gone unchallenged that they started to believe themselves invincible. Of course not all of them are that way and there are many good people still there, many he would count as his friends. But he isn't sure how long it would stay that way if he was deemed too powerful to be left loose. For the first time in his life…he needed to stop thinking with his heart and start thinking with his head. There's was far too much at risk to do otherwise.

So while he was still not fully comprehensible in terms of what to make of the information he's been told, he is savvy enough to know that he needs the attention off of him if he is to deal with it on his own, away from prying eyes.

Mugetsu nodded in acceptance, happy that her wielder was taking the reins when it came to his life. She didn't want him to be used by anyone. She wanted him to be his own man and she would do everything in her power to help him achieve his destiny.

 **[I am behind you 100% Ichigo-sama]**. She responded, causing Ichigo to smile back happily at her, one of the first true smiles he's given in a long time. While he will miss Zangetsu-ossan and even his Hollow, and he would grieve for them when he's in a more controlled environment…Mugetsu was proving to be a far more suitable and agreeable companion to him. **[If it isn't too much trouble, can I make a few suggestions to aid you on this path you are about to take?]**. She questioned politely, causing Ichigo to nod in acceptance. **[Well, even though your reiatsu will soon become undetectable, it will still have an effect on the environment around you. You will need to learn how to have proper control of your power. While your power and determination in a fight is what got you this far, you are severely lacking proper discipline and control in the various combat arts. I don't mean it as an insult. It is actually quite admirable for you to have come this far considering that you were left to fend for yourself for the most part. What I wish to propose is that proper training needs to be done in order to not only get a better grasp of your power but to also temper your attitude and achieve proper discipline]**. Mugetsu suggested bluntly, not sugar coating it at all.

Ichigo blushed in embarrassment at her critique. He couldn't deny the truth in her words though. He really didn't have much of a grounding in terms of his powers. The training he received amounted to 10 days of fighting Urahara, 3 days trying to achieve Bankai with Yoruichi and less than a month spent with the Vizards taming and controlling his inner hollow. It wasn't the most impressive training regimes. Looking back, he can honestly say that it is nothing short of a miracle that he made it this far on such a fragile foundation. He regretted not doing more to bolster himself back then. He should have taken a more active role in trying to better himself. But his attitude didn't allow him that. Hindsight is 20/20 and he can appreciate the fact that if Mugetsu hadn't told him what she did, he would probably still be a brooding mess. It will still take some time, but hopefully in time…he can come to terms with his demons and move on. Well…he had the opportunity now to change all the shortcomings that he's come to perceive in himself. He would do his best to make the most of it.

"Well, I guess you're right. But since I'm going to be going on as if I lost my powers, I can't just use Urahara's training ground. I could maybe join a dojo to learn Kendo, and various forms of martial arts. The skillset should be transferrable. I can join under the guise of me wanting to keep busy now that I lost my powers along with the fact that I already have experience in these fields from all the fighting I've done and therefore it comes naturally to me." Ichigo pondered out loud.

 **[Excellent suggestion. While it may be a little slower in term of progress, as it's much easier to train in soul form, building up your physical body it the right way to go. Those arts, as you have stated, can easily be transferred to Zanjutsu and Hakuda. It will also help you become more disciplined. I suggesting maybe going for a run in the mornings as well. While you train your physical body during the day, when you sleep I will pull you into your inner world to train your spirit and your mind]**.

"Eh? You're going to train me?" Ichigo asked with a dumbfounded expression on his face. Mugetsu chuckled at him once again.

 **[Because I'm an amalgamation of Zangetsu, Yhwach and Kyoka Suigetsu, I also have access to all of their knowledge. There are many different techniques and abilities I can train you in, including both Hollow and Quincy techniques. Not to mention, Kyoka Suigetsu was a veritable gold mine of information. As Aizen Souske's Zanpakutō, she had access to all of his knowledge. While he may have been a megalomaniac with a massive god-complex, Aizen Souske was truly a genius. His knowledge of Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hoho, Kido as well as war tactics and the history and intricacies of Soul Society are second to none. I plan on drilling all of this knowledge into you]**. She informed him. Ichigo may have been imagining it, but he could have sworn her eyes glinted sadistically when he told him that. It made a shiver go down his spine.

At first, Ichigo was a bit apprehensive at the thought of being taught from Aizen's knowledge, but eventually buried the doubt deep within him. Mugetsu was right, for all his faults, the man was a genius. Learning from him would be beneficial. It didn't mean he would become like him though. He would do his utmost to stay away from that path. He would take the knowledge that he gained put it to good use in protecting his loved ones.

 **[I will keep you in a coma for the next seven days, making it so you stay in your inner world. For those seven days, I will teach you all the tricks and techniques I know about controlling your reiatsu until you achieve perfect control]**. She declared.

"Wait! Seven days?! That's not enough time." Ichigo protested.

 **[Ara, were you not the one that achieve Bankai in only 3 days? The greatest power you have, Ichigo-sama, is your monstrous growth potential coupled with your outrageous learning curve. I have absolute confidence that you will be able to achieve the perfect control needed in that time span. Especially since you will have me instructing you properly as compared to that worthless shopkeeper who only gives you breadcrumbs to go on]**. She stated imperiously. Ichigo just chuckled at her, conceding that she had a point. He didn't need to think about the negatives. He would just do what needed to be done, just like he had always done. **[When you wake up though, there is something that you definitely need to do. Like I said before, there can exist no Zanpakutō without the use of an Asauchi. We need to get our hands on one. Luckily for us, the Shin** **ō Spirit Academy keeps a large stock of Asauchi for new students. When you awaken, you need to sneak into the academy and steal one of them. I doubt anyone will notice one of them missing. Once you have it, I will help you use reishi manipulation to coat the blade in a structure that is identical to your old Shikai, like a cocoon. That way we can smuggle it out of the Soul Society without anybody knowing. Once you power finally stabilises, you can project your reiryoku onto the Asauchi and awaken me and finally have a real Zanpakutō]**.

Ichigo, despite being a pretty mature guy for the most part, couldn't keep the gleam of excitement out of his eyes at the thought of wielding his real Zanpakutō. It was a part of him, a true extension of his soul. He was meant to wield it. And despite his protests and his complaints, he really did love a good fight. It annoyed him to be associated with the likes of Kenpachi and Grimmjow, but the thrill of battle really got his blood pumping. He was born to be a warrior, and he decided that he would need to take the time to come to terms with that and embrace that part of him. Looking back, that was one of the greatest shortcoming he had. He wanted to be normal. So he rejected parts of himself, even before he became a Shinigami. He always fought against his nature to be something that he perceived as ordinary. But he knows now…he was never meant to ordinary. After all he's been through and knowing the truth about his heritage…he can happily embrace the parts that he constantly rejected. Enjoying a good fight was just a small aspect but one that he would now welcome. He won't be a crazy battle maniac like those two previously mentioned though, no way.

Mugetsu smiled happily at the sight of her wielders excitement. To be honest, she felt the same. She couldn't wait to be brandished in battle by her wielder. Putting those thoughts aside for now, she slowly got to her feet and dusted herself off. Ichigo rose to meet her. Putting on a stern face, she faced him with a no nonsense look in her eyes.

 **[Okay, for the next seven days, I will teach you everything I know that will enable you to control the enormous reserves of power you have. Please pay strict attention and do your best, Ichigo-sama]**. She told him in a stern tone of voice.

"You got it." He replied with a thumbs up, before looking sheepishly at her. "Err…you know, you can just call me Ichigo. I'm not one for formalities."

 **[Hai, Ichigo-sama]**. She persisted, causing Ichigo to look at her with her deadpan expression. The stubborn look in her eyes told him that he wouldn't be winning this battle. **[Now…I want you to concentrate. Take in a deep breath and try to centre yourself. I know I made it sound easy when I said I would teach it to you, but this is a very delicate process. You can't brute force your way through this like you would normally do. You will need a certain amount of finesse. Are you ready?]**.

"Hai." Ichigo declared resolutely, his unbending will and determination shining through.

Mugetsu smiled at this. She had complete faith in her wielder. She knew better than anyone the kind of resolve he possessed. And now, after everything he has been through, and all the light that has been shed on his heritage…he looked a lot more at peace with himself. For all the trouble that it caused, the Hogyoku really gave Ichigo the greatest reward he could ask for. He was now complete. His future was now firmly in his own hands…and she knew that he would carve out a path that would lead only to greatness.

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 _ **Author Note:**_

 _Exams are over! Yay! I'm now free for the rest of the summer (or winter, depending on which side of the hemisphere you are in). I plan to get a lot of writing done and wanted to start with this one. This idea was floating around for a while so I had no choice but to put pen to paper…metaphorically speaking. I already have quite a few pages done for my other stories so don't fret of you are waiting for them, they will be up soon. I also have started a few more stories for Fairy Tail, Percy Jackson, Pokemon and Harry Potter. Sometimes when inspiration strikes you just have to ink them. My library is piling up now and hopefully I can have them released soon. So for those of you that, for some unfathomable reason, like my shitty writing…look forward to those._

 _This story, funnily enough, came to me while I was trying to get the creative juices flowing for my High School DxD story. I was re-reading Volume 12 of the light novel, when I got to the scene where Issei defeated Cao Cao. When Cao Cao tried to activate the [Truth Idea] of the [True Longinus], it rejected him, choosing the ambition of Issei over Cao Cao's own. That somehow led me to thinking about Bleach for some strange reason, which made me see the parallels. Kisuke told Aizen that the Hogyoku rejected him because of how hard Ichigo pushed him to the brink. So the idea of the Hogyoku granting Ichigo's desire afterwards isn't too far-fetched to me. Of course, his thoughts probably wouldn't have been what I wrote of, but in fanfiction you have to twist things to suit your own agenda...hence…the Hogyoku acted as the medium that united all the different powers within him. It a bit of a stretch…but I'm going to run with it. Also…just an FYI…the name of this story was inspired by chapter 470 of Fairy Tail._

 _ ***Insert Author Rant***_

 _Okay…now if you've read any of my other stories…you should know that I like independent main characters. I can honestly say that I personally have a serious problem with authority…which explains me living vicariously through my writing._

 _Anyway…even though I understand that it was necessary for plot purposes…I seriously disliked how Ichigo kept getting the shaft in Bleach._

 _Bleach was the first anime that I ever watch and the one that got me hooked. The Soul Society invasion arc was pure bad-assery with Ichigo breaking in, kicking ass and taking names without giving a shit. After that…it all went downhill. He basically became a gopher for the Soul Society…jumping whenever they asked him to. He was manipulated by Kisuke and Yoruichi, shafted by the Captains with the whole Combat Pass issue not to mention, his father lying to him for most of his life. I know there are many ways to interpret things, and different people have different perspectives…this is the way I see it._

 _To me, Ichigo is a tortured soul. The loss of his mother is something that he never recovers from. The stigma of that day is something he carries around with him for most of his life. To me, he blames himself and seeks some form of atonement. He walks around with the weight of the world on his shoulders and is reckless with his safety. It's almost like he wants to be punished. It's why he's always jumping head first into situations, and always ready to sacrifice himself. He's looking for forgiveness…or some form of peace._

 _Which is why it upset my when his father revealed the truth to him during the last arc. Why didn't he tell him earlier? I find it hard to believe that he would have reacted much differently. He is certainly mature for his age. It would have relieved him of the burden he carried around and made his life much easier. But he didn't, even when the world was in danger from Aizen. If Ichigo knew the truth of his origins, he wouldn't have fought the real Zangetsu as hard as he did and would have probably better wielded his power…making him much more powerful. Maybe Isshin did it to protect him, but it seemed a bit counter-productive to me. But like I said, I understand it was for plot purposes, or else Ichigo would have pwned everybody._

 _I know a lot of people might not agree...but like I said…everybody has a different interpretation. Let me know how you see it. I don't mind if you disagree with me, as long as you give me a good reasoning why you think the way you do…instead of just randomly flaming._

 _ ***Rant End***_

 _Anyway, back to the original point, everybody seemed to know more about Ichigo that he did and he just went along with it. Even when the bullshit of the Fullbring Arc where they allowed him to get mind fucked instead of just killing Ginjo. And he just smiled and went back to being an obedient little weapon._

 _Anyway, I'm going to do things a little differently. Like already stated, his Hollow, Shinigami and Quincy powers are all united with the Shinigami powers acting as the base._

 _For Mugetsu, I picture her being the perfect traditional demure Yamato Nadeshiko, along with being as tough as nails who won't take any shit…something like Unohona or Asama Miya. Hopefully I can evolve her personality as the story goes on to show how badass of a Zanpakutō she will be. Her personality is mostly derived from Kyoka Suigetsu, but like I said, she's a completely different and unique entity despite being the fusion of three. I was originally planning on just having his two inner spirits fuse but then I had the thoughts of his independence and realised that he wouldn't really have a teacher with the direction that I plan on taking him in. Therefore I decided to add in Kyoka Suigetsu for that purpose, to give him a fountain of knowledge to grow from. He won't have the ability of Complete Hypnosis though, I plan on giving him a new skill set and one that would hopefully make sense in the way I plan to explain it. I also felt that Ichigo needed a woman's touch. His male role models leave much to be desired and he needs a nurturing hand to help him reach the heights that he was meant to…that's what I picture Mugetsu being._

 _For those that want a visual of how Mugetsu came to be…imagine both of the 'Zangetsu' within Ichigo doing a fusion dance and the result of that fusion dance fusing with Kyoka Suigetsu via Potara Earings…Also…just in case anyone was wondering…the scene where Ichigo happened upon her was inspired by Campione Volume 12, where Goudou goes to meet Luo Hao and she's playing a moon guitar._

 _I'm not sure if there will be any pairings in this story. For now I just want it to be about Ichigo and his journey. As the story progresses, things may change, but for now I'll just leave it aside. If there will be any romance, it will probably be IchigoxIsane, IchigoxNel, IchigoxHarribel or IchigoxBambietta. Not sure…let me know what you think._

 _I'm going to gloss over the Fullbring arc as I have no motivation to give those idiots any screen time. Ichigo will deal with them differently._

 _Also, while it may seem like it, I don't really plan on 'bashing' characters per say…with that said, a lot of the popular characters may not be shown in the most positive light. What you need to understand it that I plan on writing this story from Ichigo's perspective, hence the light in which they are portrayed are what he sees them as. It may not be all sunshine and rainbows and he may hold a few grudges but it doesn't necessarily mean they are bad people. The path to hell is paved by good intentions…and to Ichigo, he won't trust as easily as he did before hence there will be fractures in the main group. In my opinion, after the war, they were never the same. They seem to have drifted apart from each other. Even in the Thousand Year Blood War arc…it feels kind of forced in terms of how they interact…maybe it's just me. Anyway…what I'm saying is that Ichigo will form a new clique…there won't be any OC characters though…_

 _As for Ichigo's personality, I didn't get to show much of it here, it was mostly just him having different reactions to the bombshells that were dropped on him. It was more of an info-dump chapter. He's still a bit numb from all the battles he's had and the information he's received. There will be more reactions to his heritage and the roles of 'Zangetsu' that he will ponder. I want his personality to grow as the chapter's progress. Like I said, he will be a lot lighter now that his biggest burden has been handled. I want him to be stern instead of scowling. I want him to be mellowed out and laid-back, charismatic and helpful as well as being a good leader. Basically, I want him to have a similar personality as Aizen's good guy façade when he was a Shinigami, along with being more playful and sarcastic. He won't be taking shit from anybody._

 _With that being said…if you're looking for some intricate story with a deep plot line and lots of drama and twists…I suggest you turn around now. This is more like a semi-serious take. Not really a parody but expect him to shit on a lot of people…metaphorically speaking…Quincies and Shinigami alike…_

 _Wow that was long…anyway…look forward to more chapters, hopefully you guys will enjoy them._

 _Lionheart021 out!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo…no matter how much I pray to the Soul King.**

"Talking **"**

'Thoughts **'**

 **[Mugetsu talking]**

" **Attack Names"**

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 **Chapter 2: Resolve**

As the sunlight of the new morning beat down on his unprotected face, Ichigo groaned in protest. The lingering effects of his long nap having yet to leave his system. Slowly fluttering his eyes open, he was met by a warm radiance instead of the harsh glare that he expected.

He slowly sat up on the bed he was in. Looking around, he realised he was in an infirmary. By the looks of the architecture, he was definitely in the Soul Society. The only logical choice left was the Fourth Division barracks.

After clearing out that mystery, he stretched his arms out and bent his back to work out any kinks he may have had. As his bones satisfyingly popped into place, the side door of the room he was in opened.

As the person who walked out finally looked up, she startled a little when she saw Ichigo awake. She blushed a little in embarrassment at being caught off guard because she was daydreaming.

As Ichigo took in her features…he noticed that she was quite tall for a women standing at a height of at least 6 ft 1 inch with steel grey eyes and short messy silver hair with strands on the right side of her face that are shoulder length and styled as two thin brains. She wears a thin dangling red earing on each ear along with a standard Shinigami uniform that did little to hide the very curvy figure that she possessed. There was also a Lieutenant's badge on her left arm He recognised her as one of the Lieutenants he knocked out on Soukyoku Hill when he rescued Rukia. If he wasn't mistaken, she was the Lieutenant of the Fourth Division.

"Err…Hi, um…" He started before embarrassingly scratching his cheek. "Sorry…I never got your name."

"Oh! My apologies. I…um…My name is Kotetsu Isane." She shyly introduced herself.

"Right, nice to meet you Isane…well, formally at least." He chuckled weakly, hoping the girl didn't hold a grudge against him for knocking her out back then. "How long have I been out?"

"It's been about eight days since you defeated Capt…err I mean Aizen and collapsed shortly afterwards due to immense strain on your body. For the most part, you are fully healed. Physically you are 100%. Your reiatsu on the other hand, is wildly fluctuating and doesn't seem to be stable at all. I was told you would be aware of this as well as the reason so there's no need to go into detail." She recited professionally as she read his chart. Ichigo just nodded his head in acceptance, not wanting to say anymore on the subject, before looking off into space.

Isane felt the sombre mood the room currently took. It wasn't much of a surprise to her, considering what Ichigo went through. Having fought off the Espada in Hueco Mundo before having a titanic battle with the monster that Aizen Souske became…all in the space of a few days…it must have really taken its toll on him, both physically and mentally. If that wasn't enough, he made the ultimate sacrifice to save them all. Sacrificing his power, literally a piece of his soul, to save the world. He was a hero in every sense of the word. Isane couldn't keep the awe and admiration out of her eyes as she silently gazed at him. She was honest enough with herself to admit that she had developed a small crush on him…ever since she saw him on Soukyoku Hill. She was positive that she wasn't the only one among the female Shinigami that harboured a crush on the orange haired substitute. Watching him fight for his beliefs and the lives of his friends and having the courage to stand up to the powerful Captains along with the determination to follow his own moral compass…it was inspiring to someone like her, who was always a little lacking in terms of self-confidence. Despite being a lieutenant, she had her fair share of insecurities. She can honestly say that watching him fight, inspired her to be a little more that she thought she could be. If someone like him, who's only 15 years old and still just a boy, can make the enormous sacrifice that he did and still look at her with a content smile on his face, what right did she have to wallow in her self-pity. She vowed to try to be better, not only for herself, but as a way to thank Ichigo for his sacrifice. She was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of his voice.

"So how have things been since the war ended?" He asked casually in an attempt to strike up conversation with the buxom medic.

"Hmm…there's been a lot of partying…a lot of drinking and a lot of silly shenanigans." She giggled as she remembered one particular memory involving a drunk Zaraki-taicho, a pink tutu, a jar of humus and a rubber duck. She quickly came back to reality though when she saw Ichigo smiling at her reaction, having realised that she had giggled in front of him. Clearing her throat, she continued. "The Sou-taicho has given most of the Captains and Lieutenants a small vacation window to rest and recover from the fights so there hasn't been much else in terms of work being done. Unohona-taicho and the rest of the Fourth Division have been hard at work though. There have been a lot of injuries and a lot of clean up that needed to be done after the battle."

Ichigo nodded his head in acceptance of her answer, he was about to speak up again before the door to his room burst open. Orihime, Rukia, Chad, Renji and Ishida all flooded in. Ichigo just looked at them with a flat stare, having honestly expected something like this to happen soon. These guys honestly had no sense of propriety. He shared a bemused glance with Isane who smiled encouragingly before leaving the room, giving the group their privacy.

"Kurosaki-kun…" Orihime whimpered out his name, large tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. Ichigo just looked at her in fond exasperation.

"Geez, what's with the face you're making, Inoue?" He ribbed good-naturedly. "Are you doing okay?" He asked with a genuine smile on his face. Before he could hear her answer, Ichigo was smacked across the head. He would like to say that it surprised him, but he was honestly expecting it.

"Idiot! You shouldn't be asking her that when you're the one everybody was worried about! What were you thinking?!" Rukia berated him. Ichigo just looked at her with a deadpan expression.

"It's nice to see you again too, Rukia." He said flatly with half-lidded eyes, said girl just flushed in embarrassment at her outburst.

"You look pitiful, Kurosaki." Ishida jibed as he pushed his spectacles up with his finger, causing them to glint.

Ichigo completely ignored him and sent a wave to Chad who responded by giving him a cheesy thumbs up.

Afterwards, Ichigo greeted the rest, catching up with the events that he had missed out on. They told him about the different parties that where still happening even after almost a week, mostly thanks to Kyoraku and Rangiku, not that Ichigo was surprised that it was those two leading the charge. They told him about the clean-up of Karakura Town along with it being transported back to the world of the living. Everything was back to normal for the most part.

Although Ichigo was happy enough with the conversation, he could almost feel the elephant in the room. They were trying hard to hide it, but he could clearly see the pity in their eyes when they looked at him. He ignored it at first, but now it was starting to irritate him. They were clearly doing their best to avoid mentioning any fights or any mention of the actual war in an attempt to keep him from thinking about his inevitable loss of power. While he wanted to tell them the truth, he decided that his silence was a better solution at this moment. He would eventually tell them if things work out well. So for now, although it was irritating, Ichigo decided to just leave them be. If it was the old him, he would have definitely called them out on it. He hated being pitied. But like he told Mugetsu, it's time for him to move on and grow up. There was no need to make a scene. He would allow them to continue their façade. He currently had more important things to worry about.

"Ichigo…about your powers…" Rukia spoke out hesitantly. The others in the room shifted uncomfortably at the topic. Ichigo was surprised that someone actually brought it up after they did their best to avoid mentioning it so far.

Ichigo just smiled softly in return.

"I know. I knew the consequences of what I did and I'm ready to face them. I don't regret a single thing though. I would do it again if I had the chance." He told her. The others looked at him with wide eyes at his admission, before it settled into looks of respect, admiration and acknowledgement. Orihime still looked teary eyed though and Ichigo just chuckled at her behaviour.

"I see…well…if you have no regrets then I can be at ease." Rukia replied, looking resigned at what was going to happen.

Ichigo honestly felt like an asshole right now. He didn't want to deceive his friends in such a way…but he convinced himself that this was the best way to go for now. Mugetsu agreed with him. The situation right now was far too precarious and he couldn't afford to take any chances. His life and the life of his family could be in danger if things took a turn for the worse. For now though he would grin and bear it…hopefully they would forgive him for it later on. Although, if you wanted to be technical about it…he didn't really lie to them. He never told anyone he would lose his powers…that was just the assumption that his father had and therefore it was the one everyone ran with. Even now, he told them he would face the consequences of his actions…what those consequences were…they had no way of knowing. It was a bit of a grey area but it was a cold comfort to him in some ways.

After almost two hours of casual conversations, they were eventually chased out of his room by the ever-smiling Unohona-taicho. Even after facing down Aizen in his transcended-mutant-butterfly-monster form…Ichigo can honestly say that Unohona-taicho was still the most terrifying person he met. Not that he would ever say that out loud. He was terrified of facing her wrath.

After she left, after doing some routine check-ups on him, Ichigo reclined on his bed and enjoyed the silence. He finally had time to reflect on the last week. It was one hell of a rollercoaster ride. He didn't regret any of his actions though. He sighed wistfully though, when he remembered that he won't be able to fight with Zangetsu any longer. It was a hard pill to swallow for him. Zangetsu had been his partner from the very beginning. He was there for Ichigo through the many ordeals that he faced and helped pull him through many of them. He didn't understand why Zangetsu, both of them, had been lying to him all this time. He didn't understand what agenda they seemed to be pursuing. But he still thought of them as his companions, and that didn't change even after knowing all of the things they kept from him. He will remember them with fondness, but he had a new path to walk now. He felt the comforting hum of reiatsu pulsing through his body, understanding it as Mugetsu's way of saying that she is there for him. He smiled in contentment at that.

As he looked to the side, he spotted his reflection on the window. He noticed that he still looked the same as he did when he completed his Dangai training. His hair was still longer and falling messily around his face. He could feel the longer reach of his taller body. He also noticed that his eyes now looked red, almost crimson, instead of the regular brown. He figured it being a side-effect of the **Final Getsuga Tenshou** or maybe the merging of his powers. He decided not to dwell on it. He slowly closed his eyes and relaxed his mind, willing himself to reach his Inner World, deciding to spend the rest of his time here training with Mugetsu.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

It was the dead of the night and there was a stillness in the air that hung over the Seireitei. The only disturbance in the air was a black blur that was moving from rooftop to rooftop at blistering speeds. The distance being covered with each step was nothing to sneeze at either.

Ichigo found that, thanks to the intensive training sessions that Mugetsu put him through, he could move at must faster speeds and cover greater distances with his **Shunpo**. His control of his reiryoku was now second to none and if it wasn't for the slight fluctuations, due to the still evolving nature of his power, one wouldn't even be able to tell he was there. It amazed him how far he had come in just seven days. He had always had a ridiculous growth curve but it still managed to surprise him. It helped that Mugetsu was an amazing teacher. She hypothesised that it was Kyoka Suigetsu's personality that influenced that part of her as Aizen, before defecting, used to be an instructor as Shinō Academy hence his Zanpakutō picked up that personality trait as well before bleeding over to Mugetsu. He came to a strange appreciation that, even though the guy was a colossal asshole and a genocidal maniac, he was apparently one hell of a teacher.

Ichigo clamped down hard on his power as he snuck towards the Shinō Academy. He had slipped out of his room not too long ago, thankfully without drawing the attention of Unohona-taicho.

It was at times like these that he was thankful for being trained by a former Captain of the Second Division and Commander of the Onmitsukidō. While he was normally a kick-down-your-door-and-smash-in-your-skull kind of guy…he picked up enough from his training with her to know how to be stealthy when needed. Thinking about her though, left a bitter taste in his mouth. He decided to push it to the back of his mind. He had a mission to carry out.

Breaking into the Academy was laughably easy. It would have concerned him if he actually cared about their security, which he didn't. It was just another example of the lax behaviour that permeated the Gotei 13. They seemed to always think that nothing would ever happen to them, until something did happen after which they would become shocked that someone had the gall to attack the mighty Gotei 13. It was that kind of attitude that made Ichigo dislike this place. Captains like Soi-Fon and Komomura embodied the kind of hubris that seemed to land the Gotei 13 in trouble, as has happened frequently over the last few months.

Ichigo put that out of his thoughts though as he dropped from the window into a storage room. His eyes sparkled in triumph as he spotted the horde of blank swords stacked inside the room.

"Jackpot."

He quickly went over and started inspecting them. For the most part, they all looked the same. Standard length katana, with a plain circular guard and a grey hilt. It wasn't much to look at, but that would change once he finally imprinted his power upon it.

'Is there any difference between them or can I just grab anyone one of these Asauchi?' He questioned internally.

 **[Don't worry, they are all the same. Just pick whichever you want and I'll help you disguise it]**. The gentle voice of Mugetsu answered him.

"Right, well this one will do. Time to get out of here." He said before taking the Asauchi that he initially picked up before silently vanishing from the room.

He sped across the Seireitei once more, only this time he was making his way towards the outer edges of the place that was surrounded by trees and mountainous terrain. It seemed to be the kind of place that you would expect the main character from a Shonen Jump anime to come to train for a final battle.

Whimsical thoughts aside, Ichigo snuck into a small cave and set the Asauchi on his lap.

'Okay Mugetsu, I'm ready. What do I do first?'

 **[You don't really need to do anything for now. Normally I wouldn't have any objection to you doing this, but your reiryoku is still in a state of flux so we can't take any chances of your hold breaking. Project a small amount of your reiryoku outwards and relax yourself and allow me to project my will through you]**. She suggested.

Ichigo nodded and followed her advice. Evening out his breathing as he entered a state of calm. Suddenly, the rocks and plants around him in the cave started to dissolve into blue particles. The reishi that held them together breaking down before rapidly moving towards Ichigo. The matter coalesced around the Asauchi on Ichigo's lap, before slowly starting to even out and taking shape.

After only a few seconds, the process finally completed and the reishi solidified. The Asauchi that was once on Ichigo's lap now looked like an exact replica of the Shikai state of Zangetsu that was currently draped across his back.

After standing up and taking a few swings with the new sword, Ichigo nodded in satisfaction before taking the old Zangetsu off his back.

He looked fondly at the sword that got him through so much. All the battles, the heartbreak and happiness. The blood sweat and tears he shed whilst wielding it. He would definitely miss it, but he knew he had to move on. It wasn't easy though. There was so much more that he wanted to do. He never got the chance to thank Zangetsu, both of them, for helping him protect his loved ones. After exhaling deeply, Ichigo bid a silent farewell to his old blade, a single tear falling down his right eye. Slowly, the blade started breaking apart before finally dispersing into air in a burst of blue. There was complete silence in the stillness of the cave.

 **[The task is complete]**. Mugetsu declared after a few minutes of allowing Ichigo to collect himself. **[The Asauchi is currently encased in a strong reishi structure that will hold as long as we need it to. It is not dissimilar to the way your original Zanpakutō was formed, through pure Quincy reishi manipulation. Once we get back to the world of the living and you finally complete your metamorphosis, I will allow the cocoon to disperse to allow you to finally imprint me onto the blank sword held within. But for now, this will be enough to fool the eyes of the Shinigami]**.

Ichigo nodded in silent acceptance before quietly disappearing in a burst of **Shunpo**. He was still reeling emotionally from the events. Even though his mind knew that Zangetsu would no longer be around…seeing the tangible proof, in the act of his old Zanpakutō disappearing finally hit home the finality of it.

He quietly snuck back into his room without alerting anyone. He crawled into his bed and put his arm over his eyes...fighting the tears that threatened to burst forth. He allowed himself to quietly grieve for his old partner. He knew they wouldn't want him to despair like this, but he allowed himself to let go just this once. He remembered all the lessons that the both of them imparted onto him. He vowed to always strive to move forward and never look back. To let his instincts guide him and to never give in, even when things are looking tough. Mugetsu comforted him throughout the night, sending warm pulses of reiatsu to let him know he wasn't alone. He was thankful for that. It was with a heavy heart that he finally drifted off to sleep.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

The next few days passed by in a blur. Ichigo spent most of the time in his room in the Fourth Division barracks. Unohona-taicho insisted that he stay put so that she could keep him under observation. He didn't have the energy or the courage to argue with her. It was an emotional few days. It took a lot of comfort from Mugetsu, but he was finally able to come to terms with Zangetsu's disappearance. He would miss them…but he knew they wouldn't want him to wallow in despair. It would only cause rain to fall in his inner world, which they both hated ironically. It was time to look forward. He had no right to let his fear cloud his mind. Now wasn't the time to hesitate, or he would die. He would not retreat for he would age. He would take the lessons that those two and keep them close to his heart. He would not dwell on his doubts any longer. They both helped to pave a brighter future for him and he would walk his path without fear.

He had a few visitors in the last few days, apart from his regular gang. Ikakku and Yumichika stopped by, all three of them discussing the fights they had. Little Yachiru also visited him and shared some of her candy. Rangiku drunkenly stumbled into his room once and tried to flirt with him…and horrendously failed. That was about it. None of the Captains came to see him, apart from Unohona-taicho and Kyoraku-taicho…not that he was surprised by that.

He spent most of the time talking to Hanataro who, bless his little heart, visited him every day. Ichigo was glad he could catch up with his old friend after all this time. The rest of his time was spent getting to know Isane. Ichigo found her to be excellent company. While she seemed to be perpetually shy and nervous…Ichigo was good enough judge of character to know that, underneath her shyness and insecurities, she had a core of steel. Not to mention that she was sweet person who was naturally kind and helpful to all that she came across. That part of her reminded Ichigo of his own mother who was always full of kindness for everyone and never hesitated to lend a hand to any who asked. That may have been what drew him to Isane. They discussed everything from the current events of Soul Society to the applications and intricacies of **Kaidō** (Healing Kido). Ichigo expressed interest in the art, explaining that his father was a doctor and that he grew up in a clinic and regularly helped his father. Isane was only too happy to explain the basics of the art, much to Ichigo's fascination. They bonded over their similar respect and experience with the medical field. Ichigo was happy to have made a new friend.

It was bittersweet though…as he knew he probably wouldn't see her, or any of his other Shinigami friends for a long time. He would miss times like this. Hopefully, they will meet again soon.

Those were his thoughts as he stood in front of the large Senkaimon, the same one that took him back to Karakura Town after he rescued Rukia.

He was surrounded by Orihime, Chad and Ishida who were also ready to leave. Seeing them off were Rukia, Renji, Hanataro, Isane and Ukitake-taicho.

It kind of pissed Ichigo off that none of the other Captains deemed him worthy of their time. He could understand Unohona-taicho not being here as she was busy with the many patients from the war that she still had to tend to. She had already said her goodbyes and gave Isane a small break to see off her new friend.

The rest of them seemed just give him a metaphorical pat on the back and sent him on his way. With the exception of the previously mentioned Captain of the Fourth Division, Kyoraku-taicho and now Ukitake-taicho, none of them even bothered with a simple thank you.

A small part of him though wasn't at all surprised. The overflowing pride and arrogance of most of those Captains will never allow them to acknowledge that they needed a 15 year old to win their battles for them. That would be the same as acknowledging their own inability to do their jobs. It would be the same as admitting they were weak and that was something that they would never do. He would hope that they would at least take some lessons to heart from this whole debacle but it seems that the more things change, the more things stay the same.

He put it out of his mind though. He didn't care what they thought. His sacrifice was acknowledged by those he cared about and that was more than enough. He didn't do what he did for the good of Soul Society or to protect the Soul King or anything like that. He didn't think himself as some hero. Aizen threatened his home town, and by extension his friends and family. He threatened Ichigo's treasure, his beautiful little sisters. There was no force in the world that could have spared him from Ichigo's wrath after that. Yuzu and Karin were the most important people in the world to him and he would stop at nothing to keep them safe and happy.

As long as that was achieved, the acknowledgement of those stuffy Captains weren't even worth his time. Let them stew in their own denial for now. Eventually there will come a time when they will need him again…and when that happens…well…it might not work out the way they think.

It was an emotional goodbye as he bid farewell to his Shinigami friends. He knew that he would eventually see them again, but they didn't know that. So for him, it wasn't so much goodbye, as see you later. It was with that thought in mind that he stepped through the Senkaimon, giving the Soul Society a final glance.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

After setting foot in Karakura Town, he bid the rest of the gang farewell before taking a slow walk through Karakura Town. It was late in the World of The Living, as a full moon hung in the air, beautifully illuminating the silent metropolis of his home town. There weren't that many people out at this time as he leisurely made his way to his destination. It was a quaint little flower shop that he often passed on his way to and from school. He quietly made his way into the store, confident that nobody could see him. He picked up a small bouquet of flowers, white lilies to be precise, and left the money for them on the counter.

He exited the store and used **Shunpo** to zip towards his desired location. It took him only a few seconds to reach his destination. When he did, a look of melancholy took over his countenance. It was almost a reflex reaction on his part as he gazed at the gravestone of his mother, Kurosaki Masaki. He shook off the negativity though as he knelt down and placed the flowers gently on her grave. This wasn't one of those times when he came here to seek penance from his mother. No, those days of negativity and self-punishment were over. Today, he had something different to tell her.

'Hi mom. It's been a while since my last visit. A lot of crazy stuff has happened since then. Some of them you won't believe. I've met a lot of new people. Some of them are quite unique characters and I'm sure you would find them amusing. Some though, are best forgotten. There have been a lot of hardships and fighting that I've had to endure. I'm not sure whether you'd be proud of what I've had to do but I know that you always taught me to never shy away from my ideals and to always stand up for what I believe in.' Ichigo spoke in his mind, before exhaling deeply. 'I've finally found out the truth about that fateful day that we lost you. I've learned about your heritage and let me tell you, it was an eye opening experience to know that my sweet and loving mother once blew a Vasto Lorde's brains out. I'm not upset though. If anything, I'm proud. Now if any of the kids at school want to brag about who has the coolest mom, I can tell them that mine was a complete badass that hunted vicious monsters in her spare time. Honestly, how someone as strong and beautiful as you end up with a goofball like dad will be something that forever escapes me. I guess love works in mysterious ways.' He thought with a smile as a small chuckle escaped his lips. His quickly sobered up though. 'I think I've finally been able to make peace with what happened. While I'm sure I will always carry the scars of that day with me, I think I can finally start looking forward and trying to move on. I know it's what you would want. I spent this last few years cutting myself off from everything in an effort to numb the pain, but I can see now how selfish that was. Karin and Yuzu were suffering just as much as I have. I don't think I have been the best big brother that I could have been. I'm sure those two will tell you differently. It seems that regardless of how flawed I am, they seem to still love and admire me. I've decided that I need to be better, not just for myself but for them as well. The world is suddenly looking a lot more dangerous now that my eyes have been opened, but there will be nothing that will stop me from protecting them. They will be in a similar position to myself in a few years but I will make sure to be there for them this time. So there's nothing for you to worry about anymore mom. I promise I will keep our family safe in your stead. Even dad, despite the amount of lies he's been feeding me. Rest well mom, and continue to watch over us. I love you.' He finished before getting off the ground and dusting himself off.

He gave the gravestone one last look and a small smile before disappearing in a burst of **Shunpo** , heading in the direction of his home. He was honestly looking forward to sleeping in his bed again. It was a small comfort, but he really missed it.

It was already late as he got home and his sisters were already asleep. They were safely ensconced in their respective beds, peacefully snoozing away without a care in the world…just as it should be. This is what he fought to protect. He looked fondly at them for a few minutes, before a small frown appeared on his face. Now that his control was so good, his sensory abilities became a lot sharper. Before, when his reiatsu was going at full blast, it acted as a kind of background noise, impeding his ability to sense his surroundings. Now though, he could sense even the tiniest sliver of reiatsu with picture perfect clarity. Which was why it was worrying when he felt the well of power that was thrumming within the bodies of his sisters. It was still dormant and untouched, but he could tell that they possessed immense potential. It shouldn't be surprising considering their heritage. It won't be long before that potential was realised, just as his was. He would need to address this issue as soon as possible, for he refused to keep his sisters in the dark regarding the supernatural world especially considering that they may very well start attracting Hollows soon thanks to their above average reiatsu. He was aware that Karin was already aware of the spiritual world and had some idea about Shinigami, but it was incomplete knowledge. He would tell them all they needed to know and give them the choice he was never afforded. He wouldn't allow them to be defenceless in this harsh world. If they ended up hating him after what they learned, then he would bear that hatred as long as they were safe and happy. Nothing else mattered to him.

He was aware that there were many enemies out there and the best way to protect them in the future was to ensure that they could protect themselves. For now though, until they were ready, he would watch over them and had no problem eviscerating any fool who would dare threaten the safety of his family. He would tear them limb from limb before disembowelling his enemies painfully, gleefully bathing in their blood as he-

'Whoa! Where did that come from?!' Ichigo thought with a little panic as he gripped his head. The spike of intense bloodlust that he just radiated was almost palpable to him. He seriously lost it for a moment. He looked to his sisters to see that they were still undisturbed. He decided to put it to the back of his mind for now. He would question Mugetsu later. For now though, he uttered a silent 'good-night' before closing the door to their room.

His father didn't seem to be around. He wondered what that was about. He was probably at Urahara's. He didn't dwell on it though.

As he stepped into his room, closing the door behind him, he spotted his body on the bed.

'Urahara probably had it dropped off after the war.' He thought.

He was at first apprehensive about going back into his body. He spoke to Mugetsu about it back when they were still in Soul Society. He was worried about the negative effects that his new power might have on his human body. She quickly put his fears to rest though, pointing out that his body couldn't have been entirely human from the very beginning. The circumstances of his birth ensured that. Not to mention that it surely adapted to the different energies coursing through Ichigo over the last 15 years, even if they were passive for most of those years. If you also factor in his now near perfect control of his reiryoku, there was very little that his new state of being could do to his own body. If anything, Mugetsu hypothesised that the energies coursing through him will work to slowly amplify and optimise his body to suit his new power. His body was already malleable before, so it isn't a stretch to think that it would adapt to his new power, power that was his since his birth. She also pointed out that it is a strong possibility that he would stop aging after reaching his peak. It was a scary thought to Ichigo, one that he decided to put out of his mind until he was in a more stable state of mind to deal with it.

He allowed the sandman to claim him as he gave into the physical and mental fatigue that had been weighing him down.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

When his eye's finally fluttered open again, Ichigo let out a wide yawn as he stretched his body, working out any kinks from his slumber. He noticed that it was still a little dark out. He looked to his alarm clock and noticed that it was only 3AM. He didn't really feel like going back to bed right now.

Luckily for him, Mugetsu gave him the night off in terms of training in his inner world. While he was chomping at the bit to get more training done and learn more as well as better himself, he knew he had to pace himself. There was no hurry at the moment, so he could take it easy and learn at his own pace.

That isn't to say that he would be slacking off. He made a vow to better himself and he was going to do his utmost to be the best that he can be. Not just in terms of power but other aspects of his life as well. For too long, he shut the world out. Hoping to numb his pain and his guilt. He wore a perpetual scowl and just ambled along in life…carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and stewing in his anger and regret. Now though, that wasn't a choice he would perpetuate. He would be a better person. He would be a person that his mother would be proud of. He refused to waste the life that she gave him, the one she sacrificed everything for. He would stand tall and live by his principles. It's the least he could do to honour her memory.

Starting with his wonderful little sisters. For the last few months, having been caught up in soul Society's business, he's been neglecting them. He hasn't been able to spend time with them and spoil them like they deserve to be. He would start making amends starting now.

He slowly got up and gather some fresh clothes and a towel, intent on taking a hot shower.

Half an hour later, having finished his shower, he was now dressed in blue faded jeans and a punk rock t-shirt. His hair was still as messy as always, though now it was longer than he normally kept it. As he looked at his reflection, he decided that he liked the look and decided that he would keep it. His red eyes were a bit disconcerting, but he could learn to live with it. It would be a constant reminder of his willingness to sacrifice and the final mark left by his former partners.

He made his way down the stairs and heated up the stove, intent on cooking a warm breakfast for his sisters. Contrary to popular belief, he did know how to cook. It's just that when Yuzu took over the kitchen, Ichigo decided to allow her to do as she pleased. He realised that it was probably her way to deal with the grief of their mother's death. It was a special ritual to her.

He prepared a simple serving of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, toast and orange juice. It wasn't the delicately cooked meals that Yuzu prepares but it was simple enough for Ichigo to prepare. He set the table for four, not sure of his father would be back in time for breakfast.

As he went about his business, he thought about how he would address the situation concerning their growing power. He knew he would tell them the complete truth. They needed to hear it and they were mature enough to comprehend the depth of what he would tell them. That being said, he decided that he would hold off from telling them for a while. Things were still hot in Karakura Town with Shinigami patrols amped up and running around the clock. There was also a lot of eyes on him at the moment. He would wait till things cooled down before he told them. He also needed to ensure that they were away from the many prying ears that surrounded them. Ichigo didn't want his father knowing that he was aware of the truth of his heritage. It may have been a bit petty, but Ichigo was only 15 so he reserved the right to be a little petulant. There was also the fact that he wasn't sure if his father would tell Urahara, who Ichigo wasn't the biggest fan of at the moment. No, it was safer if Ichigo kept this to himself and only tell his sisters when he was confident of his power and their privacy.

He looked up at the clock and noticed that it was almost six. His sisters should be waking up soon. As soon as he thought that, he heard the hesitant footsteps of Yuzu along with the languid ones of her twin.

Their heads peeked out from the stairway and their eyes landed on their big brother. Ichigo gave them a heartfelt smile, filled with all the warmth and love that only their big brother could give them.

"Onii-chan!"

"Ichi-nii!"

They both shouted before rushing at him. Yuzu barrelled into him like a freight train. Luckily he was strong enough to gather her in his arms and hold her close as she babbled incoherently about missing him. Karin was more subdued in her greeting, though the longing in her eyes told him that her tough girl persona wouldn't allow her to get all mushy. Ichigo was having none of that though as he put his free arm around her and dragged her into their group hug. At first she protested, but even he could tell it was half-hearted at best. She finally gave in though, and settled for the warm embrace of her big brother. Content that he was finally home.

Ichigo just smiled softly, holding them securely in his arms. All the pain and suffering that he endured these last few weeks were absolutely worth it if he could see these two happy and safe. There was no greater reward for him than to see them beaming up at him. He knew that he wasn't the best brother these last few years, and even he could admit to being a moody prick most of the time. But from now on, he would make sure that his sisters received the undivided attention and love they deserved.

"I missed the both of you too." He teased gently as he embraced them.

Karin snorted in faux annoyance while Yuzu just beamed innocently at him.

"When did you get back, Onii-chan?" She enquired.

"Last night. You were both asleep so I turned in for the night. I was a bit tired after my trip so it worked out well for me. How about the two of you? What have you girls been up to while I've been away?" He questioned as he led them to the table, their eyes lighting up in joy when they spotted the hot breakfast that he prepared for them.

Karin wasted no time digging in while Yuzu was a lot more mindful of her manners. He just chuckled at their contrasting personalities despite being twins.

"Karin-chan's been playing soccer around the neighbourhood a lot. She even won a few games against the older teams. I've been doing some sewing and knitting. I even made a few new dresses for my dolls, especially Postaff. But he seems to have disappeared a few days ago. Anyway, we went to the water park to see the dolphins last week. Oh, they were so amazing!" Yuzu gushed as she started narrating the events that took place while he was gone. Ichigo sat there with a gentle smile on his face as he listened to her speak and as he watched Karin eat. It made all the sacrifices worth it if he could experience moments like these.

Even though they were busy eating and talking respectively, Karin and Yuzu immediately noticed the change in their big brother. And it wasn't just the physical change. How could they not, for there wasn't anyone else in the world that knew him better than they did. He was a lot less stiff than he used to be and his smile felt so much more natural now. Not to mention, he looked a lot more at peace with himself. They didn't know what happened but they weren't about to complain about it. It was heartening to see him this carefree. They had sorely missed him these last few weeks. Even Karin, though she would stubbornly deny it. So seeing his gentle smile, one that was reserved solely for them, along with the warmth in his eyes as he looked at them was something that warmed their hearts immensely. They wouldn't question him about his whereabouts, for they knew, even the normally naive Yuzu, that he wasn't being completely truthful with them. They would wait for him to tell them when he is ready to. Until then, they would soak up as much of his attention as they possibly could.

The rest of the morning was spent much in the same way, with Ichigo catching up with his sisters who were more than happy to let him know what has been happening in their lives. After a hearty breakfast, which they both thanked him for, Karin volunteered to do the dishes while Yuzu tidied up the house. They told Ichigo to leave it to them after his hard work at fixing them breakfast.

He decided to leave them to their devices and made his way to his room. Just as he was about to leave, he stopped and turned around to look at them.

"What do you girls have planned for the rest of the day?" He asked.

They quizzically looked at each other before Karin shrugged.

"Not much. I was just planning on lazing about and watching some TV."

"Ah, I don't have any plans either." Yuzu said.

Ichigo nodded before replying.

"What do you say we have us a little movie marathon. I can get us some snacks along with ice-cream, we can switch on Netflix and spend the rest of the day watching movies. How does that sound?"

Their eyes lit up at his suggestion and they nodded vigorously in acceptance. Ichigo just chuckled at their behaviour.

"Okay, after you clean up and take care of whatever business you need to. We'll meet back here in about 3 hours." He hold them.

"Hai, Onii-chan!"

"You got it, Ichi-nii."

Were their responses. Ichigo nodded before making his way back to his room. After closing his door, he settled into a Jinzen position immersing himself in his reiryoku and allowing his spirit to be pulled into his Inner World.

 **[Welcome back, Ichigo-sama]**. Mugetsu greeted his as she delicately sipped on her green tea. He found himself in the lounge area of her house within his Inner World, sitting in seiza across a small table from her.

"Hey Mugetsu. It's good to be back." He warmly greeted his partner. It's been more than a week since they met and Ichigo is starting to feel a lot more comfortable in her presence. Currently though, he looked a bit hesitant.

Mugetsu noticed his skittish behaviour and understood what was troubling him. She would wait for him to address the issue first though as she wanted him to be comfortable and open with his trust towards her.

"Mugetsu I…yesterday…when I was watching over my sisters…there was a moment when I thought about anyone trying to hurt them…the anger I felt was unbelievable…the amount of bloodlust I was feeling was frightening. I…I didn't even mean to feel that way. The violent thoughts that were going through my mind…it was horrifying…I didn't feel any remorse though. If anything…I felt vindicated. I...Why did I feel this way? What is happening to me?" He questioned frantically as he looked at Mugetsu with desperation in his eyes.

She looked at him in understanding for she knew what ailed him. She was expecting this to happen. It wasn't as big of a problem that Ichigo perceived it to be and she had every intention of helping him through this. But first, he needed to understand and accept those aspects of him that he had denied for so long.

 **[It isn't surprising that this is happening to you. I will explain what is happening to you in a moment, but first I wish for you to answer a question of mine. That Inner Hollow that you possessed, who we now know as being Zangetsu. What did he represent within you?]**. She inquired. Ichigo just looked puzzled at her strange question which seemed to be completely off-topic to him but he answered her nonetheless.

"Well apparently he represented my Shinigami powers and the Hollow is inherited from my mother." He answered unsurely. Mugetsu just shook her head in response.

 **[Those are the powers that he represented within you. I want to know what aspect of you he embodied]**. She reiterated. Ichigo looked to be struggling with an answer, something that she expected. It was actually the root of one of the many problems he's had over the years. It was something that he needed to deal with if he wanted to move forward. **[Anger. Violence. Hatred. Wrath. Lust. Insanity]**. She listed, to Ichigo's growing horror. **[He represented everything that you hated about yourself. He was the embodiment of all the negative aspects of your personality that you supressed over the years. All the parts of yourself that you denied. The two of you were different sides of the same coin]**.

"That's a lie! I'm nothing like him!" Ichigo raged. Mugetsu was unfazed in the face of his anger though and simply raised an elegant eyebrow at him. He flushed in embarrassment at the look she was giving him, clearly telling him that he was proving her point.

 **[This is the problem you are facing right now. Your powers are now merging and you are transcending to the next level. Your Hollow isn't here anymore to soak up the negative emotions that you bottled-up for the last few years and I refuse to do the same. You are going to need to deal with this differently. You need to understand how unhealthy it is to repress those aspects of your personality. It was the reason for your Hollow being so much stronger than you were. You kept feeding him those emotions]**. She pointed out bluntly. She wanted Ichigo to be the best that he could be. She refused to coddle him like his previous spirit used to. He needed to learn that there is more to strength than swinging around a huge cleaver. He needed to find his inner strength to shoulder the burdens that were sure to appear in his future. **[You need to accept those aspects of your personality. You need to come to terms with the fact that yes, you do love to fight. You need to understand that it's okay to feel anger or hatred or even lust. Don't bottle those feelings up. Embrace them, for they make you who you are. The key though, is to learn how to control them and not let them control you. Once you understand that, I will gladly help you temper your emotions. To teach you how to use those aspects of you to fuel your ambition and channel them towards being productive. It's why I emphasised discipline when you suggested taking up martial arts and kendo. Those arts will help you learn self-control along with the control exercises I taught you. For if you keep supressing them, should something happen to push you over the edge, you could very well end up being the bloodthirsty monster that you envisioned your Hollow to be]**.

Ichigo was solemn as she finished speaking. He understood what she was saying. It made a frightening amount of sense to him. It didn't mean he had to like it though. But he wanted to be better. He didn't want to become like his Hollow, or end up like Kenpachi. He had no problems learning to control himself. He would embrace all those parts of him that he denied for so long for it was naught but a stepping stone on his path.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't afraid…but fear never stopped me before. I will take it head on, like I always do. Will you be there with me?" He questioned earnestly, the familiar look of resolve appearing in his eyes once again.

 **[Always, Ichigo-sama]**. She replied back happily. They both settled into a comfortable silence, each simply basking in the others presence.

"Now that we have some time and I finally have control over my reiatsu…what is my training menu going to look like?" He inquired interestedly. Mugetsu just giggled at his predictably boyish behaviour.

 **[Now that you have the control, I'm going to teach you all the** _ **Kido**_ **that I absorbed from Kyoka Suigetsu's memories…both** _ **Hado**_ **and** _ **Bakudo**_ **. Those will help in augmenting your skillset, which at the moment is severely lacking. It won't be as hard as you might think though. You already have experience in compressing and firing you reiryoku from using your** _ **Getsuga Tenshou**_ **. Kido is just shaping that compressed reiryoku differently before you release it. We will also work on refining your Shunpo to levels that will hopefully match or surpass your former teacher]**. She stated. Ichigo was almost vibrating on the spot in anticipation. He's always wanted to learn _Kido_ , but everyone kept telling him that he didn't have the control for it. The thought of flinging fireballs or even using the infamous Kurohitsugi that he experienced first-hand from Aizen was greatly appealing to him. **[I also plan on teaching you how to harness your Hollow abilities. Learning how to fire a** _ **Cero**_ **, along with the different variations of it along with how to apply your** _ **Hierro**_ **as well as utilising your** _ **Instant-Regeneration**_ **abilities. There are many Quincy disciplines that I can teach you as well. Some of them won't really fit someone with your fighting style but a few of them will bolster your arsenal greatly…like** _ **Blut Vene**_ **…the signature technique of your mother]**. Ichigo perked up at hearing that. The thought of learning the same abilities that she had was heart-warming to Ichigo. It was something that he could share with the person that had the greatest impact on his life. He would use those same abilities that she used to protect the family that she so lovingly nurtured. **[Offensive and defensive abilities aren't the only thing I plan on teaching you. I am going to train your mind as well. I will teach you the intricacies of politics and human psychology as well as the history of the World of The Living along with Soul Society, Hueco Mundo as well as the Royal Realm. You will learn how to not only control yourself but your opponents as well. For all his many faults, Aizen Souske was a master manipulator. He could manipulate not just the people around him but also the circumstances as well to suit his agenda. Just because you are a transcended being doesn't mean you're invincible. You will need to learn how to fight smart from now on]**. Ichigo gulped a little at the passionate speech she just gave. He honestly grimaced at the thought of learning the things that made Aizen so successful in his campaign of madness…but he quickly reminded himself that this was for his family and their future. He would have to suck it up and do what needed to be done. **[And finally, I will show you the intricacies of my abilities as a Zanpakutō]**.

Now that really caught him off guard.

"Err…your abilities?" He asked in confusion.

The look she gave him at his inquiry caused a shudder of fear to wrack his body. Even though there was a pleasant smile of her face…her eyes spoke of untold acts of pain and violence. He made a mental note to never piss off his Zanpakutō…ever. She never took her eyes off him for a second as she continued to stare him down.

 **[First off, let me make something very clear to you. I am not Zangetsu. I understand that you had a deep attachment to him, but I am a completely different Zanpakutō. As such…don't think I will let you get away with swinging me around like a mindless brute like you did with him]**. She punctuated, causing an imaginary arrow with the word 'brute' on it to pierce Ichigo. A small raincloud appeared above his head at her critique. **[I expect to be wielded with the skill and finesse of a master swordsman…something I know you are very well capable off. You also need to become more accustomed to wielding a more regular sized sword…for I am not going to be some huge cleaver. That being said…despite what you may think…I am not a melee-type Zanpakutō. I possess a frightening set of abilities that will be at your disposal. I will train you in the art of wielding me in such a way that would make the abilities of those vaunted Captains of Soul Society look like paltry children's tricks]**. She declared confidently, scoffing at the abilities of the other Zanpakutō in existence. She was the most powerful…and by extension so was her wielder. She was almost hoping that those Soul Society idiots tried something with him just so that she can watch him crush them. Suffice to say, Mugetsu had no love for the Gotei 13. Maybe it was the way they used Ichigo along with the fact that she is part Hollow as well as part Quincy…but in her eyes, they blew whatever chances they had at a getting into her good books from the dismissive way they treated her wielder.

Ichigo widened his eyes at the notion of his Zanpakutō having an ability. He just assumed that she would be a melee-type like Zangetsu. He didn't think his soul would manifest as something with a special ability as he was a brute force kind of guy for the most part. But like Mugetsu pointed out, he needed to learn how to fight with skill from now onwards. He actually looked forward to learning all these things from her.

Maybe it was a little arrogant of him, but he felt like he deserved this after all his work. He would soak up her lessons like a sponge and become a warrior of frightening proportions. He would try his best to embrace those aspects of him that he feared for so long. He knew it wouldn't be easy and he was honestly a little afraid, but he wouldn't let fear stop him from moving forward. He wouldn't stop until he reached the top. He would protect all those that he cared for and there will be nothing that will stand in his way. That was his resolve…and it was unbreakable.

He honestly couldn't wait. But for now…he had an evening of fun planned with his sisters and he had no immediate plans of ever disappointing them.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 _ **Author Note:**_

 _Phew, that's another chapter. The positive response to this story is very humbling and I'm glad so many are receptive to my idea. I had to work around the clock to get this one out. As you can tell…I'm still in the 'introductory arc' so to speak. I used this chapter to set the foundation of the skill set that I wish to give him. I don't plan on writing him actually training, though I will do a few flashbacks to show points I think are important. I don't plan on him knowing a shitload of Kido…maybe just a handful of either for Hado and Bakudo, but probably more of the latter as the support abilities are far superior in my opinion._

 _There will be a time skip in the next chapter, probably of about 9 or 10 months. I want to show him gradually growing into his new personality and attitude as well as his reaction to the fact that his friends are all seemingly a little more distant now. He will revaluate a lot of his opinions and forge new ones._

 _I will also do a flashback to show him imprinting his reiryoku upon the Asauchi and unlocking his true Zanpakutō. I already have his ability planned out and it's pretty god-like one. I think I can tie it into some canon facts to make it more believable but he's going to have a pretty broken ability. Then again, if you consider Yhwach and his 'Almighty', Ichigo is going to need a kick-ass counter. It will also help bolster his training. Don't hold your breath on seeing his Bankai soon though, I already know what it is and there won't be anyone strong enough to make him use it anytime soon. I can tell you now though that is won't be a flashy one. It will be a silent and deadly ability. It always irked me how useless his Bankai was after his fight against Byakuya. I mean the speed he showed in that fight was crazy, but we never see those levels again. His Bankai became like a Shikai instead with the amount of times he's had to use it to take on average opponents…yet he was able to beat Kenpachi with his Shikai alone. I know some people will say that it was a draw, but if you consider Kenpachi's strength and experience…I consider that draw to be Ichigo's win. Now, considering he was able to beat Kenpachi, who wasn't wearing his eye patch, before he even achieved his Bankai and learned to control his mask…so how the fuck did he get creamed by Nnoitra who was smacked around by Kenpachi after he took his eye patch off. It doesn't make any sense to me. Someone please give me a logical explanation._

 _I will also do a small flashback to deal with his explanations to his sisters. I was hesitant in including them at first but the more I wrote the more I realised that the Ichigo that I'm trying to portray wouldn't want to treat his sisters the way he was treated in term of being kept in the dark about the supernatural world. He will give them the choice and it will be up to them if they enter the secret world. Plus they have the same potential the he does, minus the Hollow, so they can both be pretty dangerous. I will leave that choice up to you guys. Let me know if you want them included in his 'team' so to speak. I already have some probable Zanpakutō abilities in mind if I do have them join him._

 _The Thousand Year Blood war won't start for a few more chapters. I still have about two or three more chapters till I get there. I want to deal with introducing his new abilities, personality and allies first as well as dealing with those pesky Fullbringers._

 _Like you might have seen in this chapter, Ichigo will start to embrace all the negative aspects of himself and learn to control it. He and Mugetsu will also be influenced by each other's personality and that will come out too._

 _The reviews so far show that a lot of people are inclined towards IchigoxTier or IchigoxNel. I like these two because of the contrasting personalities they offer. In my opinion, Nel is everything that Kubo tried to have Orihime seem like. Her bubbly and happy personality feels a lot more natural compared to Orihime, not to mention that she can kick ass all over the place. Harribel is an interesting foil to Ichigo's more passionate personality. Her cold and calculated demeanour is something that could ensure they had some fun interactions. They both appreciate the necessity of sacrifice. If I do ever do a relationship between them, I won't be some lovey dovey romance. I can see them both being driven more by their instincts and it being more a thing of mutual respect and trust in one another, like how you would trust someone to watch your back in a fight. The reason I added Bambietta as an option is because she's my favourite Sternritter. I think her second fight with Komamura was one of the best of the arc and I really didn't like how she was betrayed and reduced to a zombie plaything for Giselle. Plus, it's hard to hate a sexy female villain…especially one that can blow shit up. The reason I added Isane is because she's my favourite Bleach girl. I can't help it…I have a thing for tall girls. Plus…the thing with her and Bambietta is that there isn't much back story to them so they are a lot more malleable…the same with Harribel to a certain degree. We don't even know what Isane's Zanpakutō ability is. I can work with that and make her into something that can be entertaining. Regardless of the pairings…Ichigo will be close to each of these women even if it's only in a platonic sense for now. One of the reviewers suggested a small harem with a representative from each race. I will admit that the idea is appealing…but nothing is concrete for now…I will let you guys decide._

 _Haaah…so much to do. I will focus on my other stories for the next few weeks and try to get a chapter each for them before coming back to update this one. There just never seems to be any time anymore. Oh well…Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and look forward to more._

 _Lionheart021 out!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All right to the Bleach franchise are monopolised by that magnificent asshole, Tite Kubo.**

"Talking **"**

'Thoughts **'**

 **[Mugetsu talking]**

" **Attack Names"**

 **xxxxxxx**

 **Chapter 3: Halcyon Days**

It's been a relatively quiet seven months since the end of the winter War for Kurosaki Ichigo…something that he was unsure how to feel about. On the one hand, it meant that there was no immediate danger and things were proceeding peacefully. On the other hand…it was boring as shit.

Those were the thoughts of our protagonist as he stared out the window of his classroom with a half-lidded look on his face. He could vaguely hear Ms. Ochi droning on about something useless. He never thought he would say this…but he honestly hoped that Kenpachi would come bursting through the door and challenge him to a fight. If his past self heard that thought, he may have had a heart attack.

Boredom-induced crazy thoughts aside, Ichigo was satisfied with the progress he's made during these last few months. His training was quite successful if he honest with himself. Three days after his return home, he stopped by at the local dojo and enrolled himself for regular classes. Something that he can say was a stroke of genius. His previously unrefined hand-to-hand combat style was now polished and free flowing. He didn't have as much wasted movement and unnecessary actions impeding him as before. He would like to think that he was quite a formidable opponent when unarmed.

He did much the same with his sword skills. There wasn't a kendo dojo in Karakura Town but there was one in the neighboring town. He joined without hesitation and the results really showed. He learned to appreciate the elegance and grace needed to truly wield a blade. It was an art form and didn't always need a heavy hand. He wasn't sure how he would stack up against a supernatural opponent but he held confidence in his skills now considering he was able to best some of the most fearsome opponents before he even reached the level of skill that he now possessed.

Ichigo also started a routine of awakening before the crack of dawn and hitting the streets for a run. It was something that gave him a good cardio workout not to mention it improved his stamina. It also helped to clear his mind and focus on just running. Not long after he started his activity, Yuzu and Karin expressed an interest in joining him on his runs. He was all for it. They would join him in the mornings and the residents of Karakura Town that were getting up at that time were treated to the Kurosaki siblings working up quite a sweat. It became a special tradition for them. Something that they strengthened their bond over.

His progress with **Kido** surprised him. He honestly wasn't expecting much but with his increased levels of control of his reiryoku, it came to him as easily as riding a bike. There were a few hair-pulling moments as he tried to figure out the intricacies behind a few of the individual spells but he eventually got the hang of it and he now had quite the arsenal to unleash.

Learning **Cero** was even easier. It was annoying to admit it, but Ulquiorra was right…his **Getsuga Tenshou** really was similar to a **Cero**. Thanks to that he picked up the skill quite easily. Thanks to his superior control, learning to infuse his skin with reiryoku was a breeze. He would happily boast that he had **Hierro** that would take a lot of effort to breach. He made sure to switch it off though when he was sparring or in fights with humans as it wouldn't do for people to start asking questions. His **High-Speed Regeneration** though, was by far his favorite ability. He knew first-hand how devastating this passive ability could be in a fight from his encounter with Ulquiorra and knew it was a nifty little ace to have in the hole.

Not surprisingly, he didn't have that many Quincy skills to his name. Most of them just didn't appeal to him. He did master **Blut Vene** though, as ever since he found out it was his mother's best technique he made sure he could wield it proudly. **Blut Arterie** was easier to learn though, considering his offensive inclinations. He made up for his lack in the other skills with his mastery of pure reishi manipulation. He could go as far as craft weapons and shields of pure reishi to wield. Although they didn't have a long lifespan, they were useful in a fight if he needed it.

The most surprising ability that he acquired though was from Mugetsu. He can still remember the day that he finally transcended.

 ***Flashback***

It was a somber day for a few of the individuals in Karakura Town as only a few seconds ago…the monstrous reiatsu of the resident Substitute Shinigami vanished.

Orihime shed a few tears upon feeling the comforting reiatsu of her crush disappear. Chad, while still stoic, clenched his fists tightly. Uryu didn't react much except scoffing but if you looked closely enough you would see his jaw clenching.

Over at the Urahara-shoten, Kisuke let his head dip and his face be shadowed by his hat. Giving a silent 'thank you' to the young man who sacrificed so much to right the mistakes that he made over a hundred years ago. Yoruichi frowned deeply from her spot next to Kisuke. She didn't enjoy the thought of having to leave a student behind once again…but it was a unanimous decision that it was best to leave Ichigo to his own devices and let him get on with his life.

In the room of the object of everyone's thoughts, said boy opened his eyes and blinked around in confusion. Unsure what to make of what was happening.

"Err…is that it?" He questioned as he scratched his head in confusion.

 **[Hmph, what were you expecting? Some huge explosion and the secrets of the world to be illuminated in your mind allowing you to achieve enlightenment?]**. Mugetsu prodded sarcastically.

Ichigo developed a few tick marks at her snarky response.

"Hey! You don't have to be so mean about it! I didn't know what to expect but you can't blame me for feeling underwhelmed." He argued. "I mean I don't feel that much different. Sure I noticed that my reiatsu feels a lot smoother and more potent than before. It also feels more in my control…but I expected something more…I don't know…awe-inspiring."

 **[You can thank the control exercises I taught you for that. Due to the fact that you have a near perfect control over your reiryoku, you saved yourself from the flashy explosion of power that would have drawn too much attention us. Because you are in control and not emitting any excess reiatsu like before, all the changes were contained within your body. It may not seem like much, but from my perspective…I can see an astronomic difference. You power is now on a level that is almost godly. Now that it isn't fluctuating anymore, it will also be easier to control. Not to mention, the potency of it will ensure that your** _ **Kido**_ **and reiryoku based skills like** _ **Cero**_ **will be even more destructive. Trust me when I say…you are far more frightening then you realize]**. She explained to him.

He just sighed in acceptance, taking her words as it was. He would discover any changes in himself when he starts training. For now though, he had a task to perform.

"Should I put up a barrier up to prevent anyone from sensing what I'm about to do. I know you said that they wouldn't be able to sense my reiatsu but I don't want to take any chances in case they can sense any bleed over from any of my techniques." He questioned.

 **[That shouldn't be a problem. Make sure to use as little reiryoku as possible though. The increased potency of your reiryoku will make the barrier something far more formidable to regular senses. Keep the level of power at the same level of your sisters and use their reiatsu signature to mask its creation]**. Mugetsu advised.

Ichigo nodded in acceptance before closing his eyes in concentration. After a few seconds, his eyes snapped open and he clapped his hands together.

" **Goyōgai"**

A translucent orange pentagonal barrier sprung up in his immediate vicinity. This was a fairly basic **Kekkai** (Barriers) that Mugetsu taught him. **Goyōgai** (Five Support Cover) deploys a personal barrier around the caster and stabilises and camouflages the reiatsu contained within. It was a fairly simple technique and it wasn't used much due to its lack of mobility. But for now it would suit his needs just fine. While Mugetsu did tell him that his power would be too high a level to be sensed by regular souls, he wasn't sure what that meant for any **Kido** he may cast or even the imprinting of his Asauchi. Until he knew further, he would just assume people could sense those techniques and proceed with caution until proved otherwise.

As he settled his thoughts, Mugetsu released her hold on the reishi construct that cocooned the Asauchi. As it broke apart, it revealed the plain blade that lay within. Ichigo gripped it gently, before placing it on his lap and entering a meditative pose.

"So how do we do this?" He questioned.

 **[Just focus your senses on me and concentrate on synchronizing our reiatsu. Normally, a Shinigami trainee would carry an Asauchi around with them for a few years, during which the blade will absorb residual reiatsu and eventually project a portion of the wielders soul. It is a gradual process. But you aren't conventional by any stretch of the imagination so we will project our reiatsu together, and when they are perfectly synchronized, we jumpstart the process so to speak]**. She explained to him.

Ichigo grunted in acceptance before focusing on her reiatsu signature. There was silence for a few moments as they tried to link their thoughts and feelings. His breathing became a bit more labored and sweat started blotching his forehead. Suddenly, his eyes suddenly snapped open. He felt something within him click and he hurriedly poured his reiatsu into the Asauchi, making sure not to overload it. The blank sword greedily sucked up his reiatsu for what felt like ages but in reality was only about ten minutes.

Ichigo watched nervously as the process took place. He soon felt the drain on his reiryoku stop as the Asauchi started glowing brightly. After only a few second the glow died down and Ichigo beheld the blade now lying in his hands.

It was still the same size, a regular katana that was slightly curved at the end. But the feeling it gave off now was otherworldly. The blade portion was a gleaming silver with a dark grey, wavy hamon (Blade Pattern) along the edge. The handle was wrapped in black leather with dark purple diamond patterns running along the sides. It was the same shade as Mugetsu's eyes, he realized. The colour of royalty. It was fitting. The guard was a familiar manji shape, just like his old **Bankai**. There was a black sheath lying beside him that had a similar intricate purple patterning to his Zanpakutō's kimono. He took the time to silently marvel at the blade and the feeling of rightness it gave him. She felt absolutely perfect in his hands.

 **[Fufufu…I feel much more comfortable now as well. Having a proper medium really makes a stark difference from before. Don't be too impressed though. This is only my sealed state. You have yet to see my** _ **Shikai**_ **]**. She teased. Ichigo became even more excited at hearing that. He was so used to having a constant-release type Zanpakutō that he almost forgot about her Shikai. She would probably berate him for using his preconceived notions from Zangetsu to judge her, so he best keep it to himself. For now though, he would happily explore the abilities she afforded him.

 ***Flashback End***

And what frightening abilities they were. Ichigo almost felt bad about how broken her abilities were. Almost. He didn't pity any idiot who thought it would be a good idea to take him on. It wasn't even her godly abilities that was most impressive to him, although it certainly was in a league of its own, it was the passive ability that she granted him that allowed him to use a small portion of her Shikai while she was still sealed. It was only one ability but it was one that could be a game changer. He already put it to good use in helping keep his training away from prying eyes as well as gathering interesting titbits of information. Damn, he really was a badass.

His attitude had also undergone a noticeable change in the last few months, which drew much attention from his peers at school. Gone was the constant scowl that adorned his face. His expression was a lot more neutral now, but it still carried a stern undertone. The younger girls seemed to love his 'cold' personality, saying it made them want to give him a hug. He scoffed at the notion. It didn't help that since he was a lot less angry at the world and a lot more laid back…his natural charisma seemed to shine through and draw people to him. Some of the thugs around Karakura thought he was getting soft because of that. A brutal beat down put those thoughts to rest and re-established his bad-boy image. Only now he had to endure the bane of all creatures. Something that would no doubt send even Aizen crying for his mommy…Fan girls. Cue shudder. He put that horrifying thought out of his mind. The less he dwelled on it the better.

His academic performance also improved in leaps and bounds. He was now in the Top 5 in his grade. He knew he could easily get top spot, but that would seem far too suspicious from the seemingly slightly above average student that he was before. He was fine with where he was.

His relationship with his sisters was a bright spot for him. They became even closer since his return. Ichigo would now stop by their school when he was done and they would walk home together. He would often take them out to the mall or to amusement parks during their weekends. It helped deepen the bond between the three of them. Of course, he did inform them about the supernatural world and their origins a few months ago. He spared no detail in his explanations. They took it surprisingly well and their responses didn't really surprise him. He remembered that day with fondness.

 ***Flashback***

The silence was deafening in the private karaoke booth that was occupied by the Kurosaki siblings.

It was now five months after the Winter War and Ichigo decided that it was time to come clean with his sisters. He took them out for the weekend, while their father was away on a medical conference, to spend the day like they usually did these days. After an eventful shopping trip to the mall followed by a filling pizza for lunch, Ichigo led the girls to a karaoke centre, much to the surprise of the girls. He silently booked a private room and led the still baffled girls inside before locking the door and silently putting up a silencing barrier. He had already extended his senses and knew that there wasn't anyone with a connection to the spiritual world in the immediate area.

Yuzu and Karin's eyes were threatening to pop out of their skulls as they witnessed the translucent orange dome that surrounded them. They wanted to demand some answers but quietened down when they caught the grim expression on their brother's face.

After exhaling deeply, Ichigo proceeded to explain the events of the last few months, from his encounter with Rukia, invading Soul Society, breaking into Hueco Mundo as well as his battle with Aizen. Karin was a little pale at the revelations and Yuzu was quietly sniffling as she tried to hold back the tears at hearing her brother's struggles. He took an even deeper breath and explain their family's connection to the spiritual world, on both their mothers and fathers side. Needless to say they were shocked. He could see Yuzu trembling a little and Karin was sweating more than was healthy. He understood the struggle it was to come to terms with the fact that the world you believed in was a lie. He felt a bit of disgust with himself at making them endure this, but he knew they would resent him later in life if he kept this from them. He had faith though, in the strength of his sisters. They would overcome this obstacle, and if they needed him, he would be right there guiding them along.

As the minutes ticked by, Ichigo carefully watched their expressions as silence permeated the room. He understood that they were trying to reconcile everything that they learned with their own worldview. After what felt like hours, but in reality was only a few minutes, Karin shakily spoke up.

"I'm glad you told us this, Ichi-nii…I mean…I already assumed something like this was happening…but…w-why are you telling us this now?" Her voice was a bit unsteady and her skin pale and blotched with sweat, but she tried to keep a strong front. Yuzu looked up with her eyes all red and puffy, waiting to hear his answer.

"I felt like you deserved to know. I know first-hand what it's like to be denied information, especially when it's about yourself. I also didn't want you ignorant to a world that you very much have a stake in. I want you to be informed about Hollows, so that you know the danger they possess in the event you ever encounter one. I didn't have the liberty of knowing these things…and look where that got me. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret anything and I'm happy with the way things turned out…but I wouldn't ever want you girls to endure the things I've had to these last few months." He explained to the girls who were listening with keen interest. His face took on a grave expression though as he continued. "That is only one of the reasons. The other is that...despite how you feel about it…you are in serious danger."

"W-what do you mean, Onii-chan?" Yuzu whimpered pitifully.

"You are both the daughters of two powerful, Captain-class individuals. Even though it's still dormant, you both possess impressive reserves of reiryoku. Your potential is even more frightening as you both have the ability to reach the level of a Captain easily if you set your mind to it. It's only a matter of time before a Hollow comes sniffing about, attracted by the passive power that you both give off. They are attracted to that power as you would make a more delicious meal apparently." He stated causing Karin to cringe at his bluntness and Yuzu to sob at the imagery. He so badly wanted to scoop them up in his arms and comfort them, but he needed to finish what he needed to say first. "I know it isn't a pleasant thing to think about but it is a very real possibility and I want you to be at least knowledgeable about the dangers that you are in and will be in the future. I want you to be at ease though, because I want you to remember…that I am here… and no matter what happens, not matter how powerful an enemy shows up…regardless of the struggles we may face…even if it costs me my life…I will always protect you." He declared with such steely determination that all of their fears were blown away in the face of his resolve. Yuzu and Karin cursed themselves for ever being afraid of the dangers of the world. They should have known that their beloved brother wouldn't ever let anything happen to them. Their hearts felt a little lighter and they sat up a little straighter. Poor Ichigo wasn't at all prepared for them to slam into him.

"Ichi-nii!"

"Onii-chan!"

They cried as Ichigo wrapped his arms around the both of them. They girls silently basked in the protective warmth of their big brother. They knew that as long as he was here, nothing would ever happen to them. They revelled in each other's presence a little longer before Ichigo reluctantly broke the hug. He still had more that he needed to tell them.

After they had finally settled down and seated themselves next to him, he brought up the real reason why he told them what he did.

"What will you do now? I told you all of this because I wanted you to have the choice that I was never afforded. You can choose to step into the spiritual world and embrace your heritage if you want to. Unfortunately, it's too late for me. Even though I'm flying beneath the radar so to speak, I have no doubt that I will be dragged into another fight soon. I can feel it in my bones. I honestly would prefer it if you girls could remain ignorant of this hidden world and peacefully live out the rest of your days. It's a selfish wish of mine but I know that choice is yours to make. I wanted you to be aware of the forces that might threaten us soon and understand why I have to do what I have to do sometimes. I know it's a lot to take in, and I know it's unfair to put so much pressure on you girls…but what will you do now? Know that whatever decision you make, I will be there to support you all the way." He declared at he looked them in the eyes, wanting to convey his sincerity and the weight of his promise. They were quietly stewing for a few seconds and it was surprisingly Yuzu that answered first. She beamed up at him with that innocent smile of hers that he loved so much, her eyes sparkling with happiness and understanding as she answered him.

"Nothing has to change, Onii-chan. As long as you're here, that's where we will be. Our place is at your side. I'm not sure about fighting monsters and super powered spirits, I don't think I will be very good at that kind of thing, but we will help you however we can." She said gently, wiping away any residual tears from her eyes.

"Che…you should know us better than that, Ichi-nii. You can be real oblivious at times. We don't care much about having to fight battles for others. We aren't the heroes here…unlike a certain someone who would drop everything and run to help anyone who called out to him regardless of their circumstances." Karin teased her brother, causing him to look a little bashful at her words. She just smirked at the reaction she got out of him. "Even though you've had a much cooler your temperament over the last few months…I know deep down you're still that hot-blooded guy that would shoot first, ask questions never. I know I speak for Yuzu as well when I say we aren't interested in the Soul Society or having anything to do with Hollows. From what you told us, those guys seem really incompetent at their jobs. Especially if they had to have a 15 year old clean up their messes on so many occasions. I'm not too worried about our safety since we have a big lug like you protecting us. Plus its sounds like way too much work. But like Yuzu said, we will help you with whatever you need."

Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief at their response before scooping them both up in a bone crushing hug.

"Kyaa!"

"B-Baka Ichi-nii! Let go of me!"

Yuzu and Karin reacted respectively to Ichigo's sudden display of affection. Ichigo chuckled at their behaviour before releasing them, softly ruffling their hair, much to Yuzu's immense pleasure and Karin's annoyance, though even he could tell she was putting up an act.

"Haha…sorry sorry. I'm just happy at your decision."

"Hmph…I misjudged you, Ichi-nii. It's seems all the time you spent away from us turned you into some kind of sexual deviant that has no problem molesting his defenceless little sisters." Karin jabbed sharply at him, causing Yuzu's face to turn scarlet and steam to come out of her ears.

"Wha! That…I…what…It wasn't like that!" He spluttered loudly, protesting his innocence. His face heated up at the accusation and he feebly tried to defend himself. Nothing was working though as Karin gave him a look of faux sympathy…conveying that they would still love him even if he was a shameless pervert. It was a real blow to his poor ego. He could hear Mugetsu laughing in his mind at his unfortunate predicament.

 **[Fufufu…You have the power to probably destroy the world if you wanted to…yet a few words from your adorable little sisters and you turn into a sputtering mess. My, my…it seems the big, bad transcendent is totally whipped]**. She teased him.

'Quiet you! I'm not whipped! She just caught me off guard!' He defended himself, although it didn't seem to help as he could still hear her tinkling laughter in his mind.

"Don't worry, we won't judge you no matter what kind of depraved lifestyle you lead. I'm sure Yuzu wouldn't mind either. She's a hard-core bro-con you know." Karin quipped, much to the mortification of her sister.

"Karin-chan!" Yuzu protested, grabbing her sister's cheek and pinching it hard, a look of embarrassment on her face.

"Ouch! It hurts! It hurts, Yuzu!" Karin flailed as she tried to get out of the deceptively strong grip of the more timid twin.

Ichigo just let out exasperated breath before face-palming. The antics of these two would be the reason he turned grey at a young age. He let them quarrel amongst themselves for a few minutes before breaking them up and getting the conversation back on track.

"I'm happy to know that you want to stay out of the spiritual world, but like I said, you won't be able to rid yourself from it entirely. It's in your blood, and I've learned that it's never good to deny a part of yourself. The real problem is that others may try to take advantage of you. I won't always be around, and while I loathe the idea of having you fight…I want to at least make sure you know enough to defend yourselves, if you are ever in a situation that calls you to. And I don't mean from just the supernatural world either, there are a lot of dangers here in the World of The Living. So this is what I propose…I can jump start the reiryoku within you allowing you to access your power, similar to what happened to me. Unfortunately I don't have any more Asauchi so you would have to go without a Zanpakutō, but I doubt either of you wanted to swing around a sword anyway. I will train you both in the art of **Kido** , which I'm sure you both will excel at not to mention **Kaidō** (Healing Kido), which I'm sure you'd be interested in Yuzu. I also want you to enrol in the dojo with me and at least learn some self-defence." Ichigo suggested, clearly taking in their reaction. Yuzu looked excited at the possibility of learning to heal, Karin though, brought up another point.

"But you said that the stronger our…err…reiatsu is, the more likely we are to attract Hollows. I get teaching us to defend ourselves for that 'just-in-case' scenario…but wouldn't it be a but counter-productive if you training our abilities is what draws them to us in the first place leaving us no choice but to continuously fend them off and eventually calling attention to ourselves." Karin pointed out, being as pragmatic as ever. Ichigo, just smiled proudly at her. Happy that she had the foresight to see a flaw in his suggestion. Fortunately, he already took that into account.

"I'm glad that you pointed that out. I've already taken that into account which I why I made these." Ichigo replied before dramatically presenting two bracelets, one with a floral pattern and the other with the logo of Karin's favourite football team. Yuzu's eyes lit up at the accessories while Karin just gave him a deadpan stare. Ichigo just ignored her and continued his explanations. "This is a special device I crafted that will create and invisible and undetectable force field on your skin that will mask your reiatsu to all those around you. To those spiritually aware, you will be nothing more than slightly above average human. This will ensure you are protected from Hollows as well as keep you off the radar of the Soul Society. With this, I can train you to an acceptable level and you can go on with your lives as normal…only now you have the added security of knowing that you can protect yourselves and each other should the situation call for it."

Ichigo was never more thankful for Aizen's knowledge than he was when he discovered this little gizmo. Apparently, Aizen ordered Szayel, the Octava Espada, to build a device that would mask Orihime's reiatsu and make her intangible to everything around her, except for the Arrancar. It was how he was able to take her to Hueco Mundo while making it seem that she had turned traitor. Ichigo used the knowledge of that device and crafted something similar to bypass the senses of any Hollow, Shinigami or any other supernatural race. It was hard work but Mugetsu spared no punches, in some cases literally, when it came to pounding the knowledge she got from Kyoka Suigetsu into his head. From Aizen's knowledge and understanding of politics to science to psychology…it was a bit tedious at first…but he was supremely thankful now that he looked back. He gained a deeper understanding of the world and the afterlife as well the kind of possibilities that he could open up for himself. It was thanks to that knowledge that he was able to painstakingly craft these bracelets for his sisters. It would easily solve the biggest worry that plagued him. But he wouldn't let his guard down, even if he was positive the devices will function at 100%. One can never be too careful after all. So while he now had a slew of scientific knowledge in his brain…he didn't have the curiosity or the drive to pursue those fields like Urahara or Aizen did. He would use what he could, but that was as far as it went for he simply didn't care to do more.

The girls happily accepted the bracelets and slipped them on. Ichigo immediately noticed that their presence seemed to be a bit more diminished than it previously was. He was sure that his father wouldn't notice the minor difference as one would only spot it if they were really looking deeply for the difference.

"Okay girls, now that we have that sorted out…I need you to promise me that you will not tell dad about any of this." The stern expression on his face sobered them up. Yuzu frowned at that while Karin simply raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"But Onii-chan-"

"No Yuzu. This is important. Dad still thinks I'm powerless and I'd like to keep it that way, at least for now. I know he wouldn't endanger my anonymity or sell me out to the Soul Society, but he has this strange notion that if he keeps things like this a secret from us then we will be safe. As you can see…I'm living proof to how stupid that idea was. He's too stubborn to see reason and I don't plan on letting him think anything is different from how he envisions his perfect little world. It's also a bit of petty vengeance on my part for all the years he's lied to us." Ichigo shrugged nonchalantly. Karin just smirked in approval, knowing that she was all for messing with their dad. Yuzu was a little more conflicted though. She didn't like the idea of keeping secrets from her family. "Don't worry, I plan on taking full responsibility. I know it will be difficult Yuzu, but please…do this for me." He pleaded.

That was all it took to seal the deal. Yuzu could never deny her brother anything. Something that Karin was well aware of if her snickers were anything to go by.

The siblings spent the rest of the day chatting about the supernatural world and all the strange characters that Ichigo encountered. Of course, they didn't let the karaoke booth go to waste and belted out some tunes. It came as a surprise to the girls though, when they heard the smooth alto voice that their brother possessed after they strong armed him (i.e. turning on the puppy-dog eyes at full blast) into singing…much to Ichigo's embarrassment. It was something that the girls never let him forget…Mugetsu included.

 ***Flashback End***

The training of the girls progressed smoothly since then. He made ample use of the passive ability of Mugetsu to give them a training space that camouflaged their reiatsu from the other spiritually aware individuals in the town. He could easily class them as at the level of some of the lower tier Lieutenants. They were still growing of course so he would see how far they are willing to take their abilities.

Karin took well to the physical aspects of the abilities he trained them in. Her skills in **Hakuda** and **Hoho** were frightening. She could move at impressive speeds with her **Shunpo** and she hit like a freight train. He reminded her of Yoruichi a lot in the way she moved and attacked. It filled him with immense pride to see how well she developed.

Yuzu, unsurprisingly to him, took to **Kido** like a fish to water. The skill and finesse that she could wield **Hado** and **Bakudo** were truly magnificent. She was more inclined towards **Bakudo** , often using them as support abilities to augment Karin's offence when they spar with him. Her best skill though, was **Kaidō** , something he knew would happen. She was a kind and gentle girl by nature and healing was something that was fitting for her personality. He only wished that he could introduce her to Isane. He knew the two of them would get on like a house on fire. Something that brought a smile to his face.

Karin loved her sister's ability to heal, especially after Ichigo would put the beat down on them in training. The girls learned the hard way that Ichigo didn't cut corners when it came to training. He would not coddle them at all. His tough love approach worked though and they were now at the level that he could put his mind at ease for the most part.

He was relieved that his reiatsu masking bracelet, or the RMB as Karin named it, worked as well as he hoped it would. There was no indication that his father noticed the exponential rise in power from the girls. He was grateful for that. After they reached the level that they did, Ichigo took it a lot easier on them, allowing them to go back to their ordinary lives for the most part. He did ensure that they would train together on weekends to ensure that their skills didn't atrophy. Plus, it was a good way for them to bond. His only hope was that they would stay far away from the danger that he was so used to and that the skills he taught them would never needed to be used.

A commotion in the hallway outside his classroom caught his attention. He glanced out the corner of his eye to see Ishida racing down the hallway. Not that Ichigo was surprised, he sensed the Hollow as soon as it appeared. Thanks to his increased discipline, he was able to curb his more natural instincts to run out and slay the beast. That wouldn't have helped his cause in the slightest. He decided to put his trust in the power of his friends and their ability to protect the town from regular Hollows.

Friends.

That word left a bitter taste in his mouth. That was one of the changes in his live that upset him greatly. Ever since the end of the war, he could feel his friends slowly pulling away from him. They still saw each other at school and spoke casually with each other but there was something that irked him about their behaviour. He noticed it when he hardly ever saw Chad around anymore. Apparently, he was spending a lot of time in the neighbouring town. Ishida was as cold and distant as ever but there was a little something missing in the few interactions they actually did manage to have that told Ichigo that things were different. It was a lot more noticeable with Orihime. She didn't come by his desk to greet him every morning like she used to and there was a certain hesitance to her actions that was apparent to most of his classmates. There was also the pitying looks that they often directed at him that pissed him off.

He supposed that they were unsure of how to act around him now that he was 'powerless'. At first he was a bit upset but he soon came to realise that the entire basis of their friendships was their connection to the spiritual world. When he looked at it from that perspective, he could understand that he was now an outsider so to speak. They couldn't interact in the same way as before. It strangely made him understand what Tatsuki must have felt when they were off fighting Hollows all those months ago. He supposed that it was partially his fault for not telling them that he still retained his powers. But he had thought that their bonds transcended something like him being 'powerless'. It was something that he came to accept though. Maybe it was their way of dealing with the hardships they've had to endure. They were survivors of a war after all. Distancing yourself from painful memories is only natural. He would never begrudge them that. Maybe he was reading too much into it. Maybe they just wanted him to live out a normal life, free of the spiritual world. He didn't know. They were teenagers though, and they were slowly maturing. Sometimes you have to walk a different path as you get older. Maybe they now saw the world from a different perspective. Who knows? He would never hold it against them though. He still considered them his friends. Nothing would change that. He would watch over them and protect them if they needed him to but maybe it was time for him to try to move on with his life too. It was only natural to sometimes grow apart as you get older

What was even more upsetting was that not a single Shinigami visited him, not even Rukia. That pissed him off fiercely. It was even more frustrating because he would often see her patrolling the town. He would sometimes see her with Orihime, although he would feign ignorance of her presence and speak to Orihime…hoping that Rukia would at least say something to Orihime to pass on to him. But he didn't even get a simple hello. Even if she was under the impression that she couldn't see her, he knew for a fact that she had a Gigai that would allow her to interact with non-spiritually aware individuals. How hard was it to slip on that Gigai and stop by to say hello?

At first he was deeply saddened by her behaviour. That sadness became frustration. Frustration that soon turned into anger. Eventually he settled for cold indifference. He understood all too well that he no longer had any use to the Soul Society and therefore there was no need to maintain contact with him. Maybe that wasn't the motivation for Rukia, who probably wanted him to live out his regular life or was under orders not to interact with him, but it most certainly was for the rest of them. It left a bitter taste in his mouth. But in the end, he realised that it shouldn't be that surprising. He had a low opinion of the Soul Society from the very beginning and this only served to lower it even further. He had hoped the bonds and friendships that he made with people like Rukia, Renji or even Toshiro would carry through. But it seemed like it may have been a bit one-sided on his part. He didn't dwell on it though, as it wouldn't affect his motivations. He had alreeady decided to wash his hand of the Soul Society and this only made it easier.

He hadn't heard from Urahara or Yoruichi either. Considering the roles they played in the circumstances of the war and the prelude to it, which involved using him to smoke out Aizen, Ichigo wasn't surprised. He didn't care much for Urahara, as his trust in the shopkeeper had already deteriorated by the end of the war. His manipulations of Ichigo and his friends ensured that he would never be in the former Substitute's good books.

It was Yoruichi's absence that was more hurtful to Ichigo. He had thought that they had a good bond after she had started to train him. She was like that crazy aunt that would visit every so often and embarrass him for her own amusement. Even though he complained about it a lot, he found that side of her endearing. Which was why he felt a little betrayed when she simply disappeared from his life without so much as a goodbye. He knew he could find her if he wanted, but that kind of defeated the purpose of his plan. In the end, it boiled down to the fact that she was more loyal to Urahara and his plans, most of which seemed to involve manipulating him. It made him feel like an after-thought. Like piece that had been discarded from the chessboard. That was compounded by the fact that she was aware of his heritage and never told him anything. He expected something like that from Urahara but he had trusted Yoruichi far more than the shopkeeper which was why her actions, or inaction, in some cases stung a little more. That was probably harsher than it actually was as his high opinion of her didn't allow him to think she would treat him as such. Besides, she had known Urahara far longer and their friendship, or whatever the hell they were to each other, was something she was more loyal to. A bond like that was hard to get between. The connection he felt with her was probably more one-sided on his part. It didn't stop the hurt though. Ironically, he actually came to understand Soi-Fon a little. He decided to treat the situation with her the same as with his friends. He still cared for her, but he would walk his own path from now. It was sad to walk away, but sometimes you just had to stop flogging a dead horse. He was focused on his new life now and spending as much time with his sisters as he could. He would move on and if he ever crossed paths with her again, he would greet her warmly. If not for any other reason than the respect that he had for her as a person.

As the bell rang, signalling the end of class and the beginning of recess, Ichigo received a boisterous visitor as he packed his books away.

"ICHIGO!" Keigo shouted, waving his arms frantically to get his attention. Ichigo just rolled his eyes at the exhausting behaviour of his friend, but there was a fond smile on his face if you looked close enough. The normality of this clown was something that was endearing to Ichigo after having to fight a supernatural war. "Let's get head up to the roof. It's a cool day with a clear sky. The perfect time for a lunch party!" He exclaimed excitedly but came back down to earth when he noticed that Ichigo wasn't even paying attention to him and was instead talking to Mizuiro.

"Any plans for when school is out, Ichigo?" The laid back Mizuiro asked.

"Yeah, I was actually thinking of paying a visit to an old friend of mine. It's been a while so I thought it would be a good idea to drop in." He replied, conversing casually with his friend. Keigo cried out in protest at them ignoring him.

"Ichigo! Don't ignore you best buddy!" He shouted as he flailed his arms comically. Ichigo broke his conversation with Mizuiro for a second and looked blankly at Keigo.

"Huh? Did you say something?"

A look of horror appeared on the face of Keigo as he gripped the sides of his face and let out a silent scream of horror.

"Ignore the drama queen, Ichigo." Mizuiro said with a bemused look on his face.

"You guys are so cruel to me!" Keigo protested with fake tears running down his face.

Ichigo just watched on in amusement, having come to enjoy the peculiarities of his friends.

"Ichigo." A feminine voice called from behind him. He turned around to see it was Tatsuki calling out to him. "Are you done with that video game I lent you?" She asked.

"Hey Tatsuki. Yeah, I have it here with me." He replied before sifting through his bag and pulling out the aforementioned game. "Are you going to join us for lunch?" He asked as he handed the game over. She gave him an apologetic look in response.

"Sorry. I've got a club meeting I need to get to. Maybe some other time." She gently declined. Ichigo gave her an understanding look and turned to where Orihime sat, about to ask her if she wanted to join. He didn't get the chance though as she was already racing out of the class. Probably to see if Ishida needed any healing. He let out a sigh at that and decided to put it out of his mind. Tatsuki gave him a sympathetic look but he simply waved it off and joined Keigo and Mizuiro on the roof, silently enjoying the lunch that Yuzu prepared for him.

As Keigo prattled on in the background, Ichigo thought about what his plans for the future were. He wasn't lying when he said he planned on visiting a friend later. He hasn't seen her since the war and she was long overdue a visit. Especially considering the fact that she saved his life and he quite enjoyed her company. Thanks to the abilities of his Zanpakutō, he finally had the ability to repay her by healing the extensive damage that she had suffered. He smiled a little when he thought about what her reactions to seeing him would be.

There was also the issue of the above average reiatsu signatures he's been feeling from the neighbouring Naruki City, the place where Chad has been hanging out apparently. They didn't seem to be much of a threat and kept mostly to themselves but he would investigate just to make sure. He didn't want to take any chances lest they turned violent so a little reconnaissance mission was in order. But that was for another time. For now, he would enjoy the rest of his day.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

It was the dead of the night and Ichigo gingerly rose from his bed, shaking off any lingering effects of his power nap. His sisters were asleep as was his father. He decided that now was a good time to get going.

He opened his drawer and unlocked a small portable safe that he kept hidden within. Something he invested in a few months ago. He reached in and pulled out a glove from within, the same kind of glove that Rukia used to use to separate his soul from his body all those months ago. This was a little something that he stole from Urahara's back room stock. He wasn't caught thanks to his special ability and he severely doubted that the man would notice one glove missing from the large stock-pile that he had, that is if he ever did check as the place was covered in a large amount of dust.

He put his palm to his chest and ejected his soul, allowing his body to fall back onto the bed. He rearranged it to look as though he was simply asleep in the off chance that someone did peer into his room.

Once he was done, he stretched his body out, getting used to being in soul form again. He didn't do it often, having taken to training in his human body, not only to bolster it but to also add a measure of difficulty for himself to overcome. The results were that he became far more proficient in what he trained not to mention that it served to further strengthen his human body. When he was in soul form though, the resistance goes away, like taking off the training weights, and he can perform at a much higher level. As he looked down at himself, he took note of another big change in himself.

Seeing as though he wasn't technically a Shinigami, nor was he affiliated with the Gotei 13…both himself and Mugetsu felt that wearing their trademark shihakushō wouldn't cut it any longer. So they decided that he needed a new look. Unfortunately, there wasn't a store around that he could purchase spirit clothes from. Luckily for him though, he was a Quincy by birth, and he excelled in reishi manipulation. It was hard work at first, but he eventually managed to use his skills to permanently craft himself a new ensemble. Of course, Mugetsu and his sisters had a decisive hand in deciding what he wore. Something that he didn't fight them on as he long since realised the futility of arguing with the fairer sex when it came to clothes. So he simply let the women in his life use him as a dress up doll when they visited to local mall to get an idea of what would look good on him. They eventually settled on the outfit he was currently wearing.

He was comfortably decked out in a three piece black suit with white pin stripes. It was snug and fitted well on his toned and muscular body. He wore a deep purple shirt underneath along with a black necktie. On his feet were formal black leather shoes that were polished to a nice shine. He had black leather gloves on his hands. His waistcoat was neatly buttoned up and he wore a knee length, high collar, dark grey trench coat over his suit that was left unbuttoned. Completing the look was his sheathed Zanpakutō that he carried in his right hand. All in all, he looked really sharp. Even though he was never one to care much about clothing, even he had to admit that he looked good in a suit.

With a roguish smirk on his face, one that would no doubt wet the panties of the girls at his school, he activated his special ability.

In an instant the world around him, that was once filled with colour and sounds, turned red and became dead silent. Everything was still and tranquil. The wind stopped blowing and the trees stopped swaying in the breeze. It was as though time had stopped. Which wasn't far from the truth.

This was one of the abilities of Mugetsu and the only one that he could use outside of her Shikai. He discovered, to his pleasant surprise, that Mugetsu was a space-time type Zanpakutō. Something that was quite rare, but not unheard of. It wouldn't be biased to say that Mugetsu was on a whole other level though. Her greater abilities in her Shikai and Bankai were awe-inspiring and were nothing short of absolutely godly. He very much doubted though that many people could force him to go that far. Which was why this ability that he was currently using was his favourite.

What is did was allow him to enter his own personal subspace, a pocket dimension if you will. It wasn't so much as an alternate dimension as an adjacent one. It operated just outside the regular space. If that was all it did, it would be impressive. But what truly made this ability his favourite was that his 'adjacent dimension' contained a **Spatial-Temporal Lock** , placing him outside the regular space-time to escape the effects of time flow.

It was something that was a god send for his training efforts and that of his sisters. It allowed him to flex his power without having to worry about damaging the surroundings as his dimension was, as far as he was aware, untraceable. It also made reconnaissance missions and information gathering a lot easier. It was also how he was able to slip into the Urahara-shoten undetected. Of course there were limits to it. He couldn't spend more than an hour within the dimension for it would start to affect him negatively. He would also experience a similar sensation of 'jet-lag' if he spent too much time in there which would disorientate him when his returned to the regular space and had to adjust to the regular flow of time.

But is wasn't too much of an issue for him. Outside of training, he didn't spend much time in there. In his mind though, the battle applications of the technique was what excited him the most. He honestly couldn't wait to put it into practice. The thought of closing the distance between himself and his opponent in an instant without them ever realising was something that made him salivate. He didn't have a name for this technique, for it didn't need one. The sophisticated simplicity of it made him decide that he didn't need to name it. He would just use it as it was and keep people guessing.

Shaking off those thoughts, he got himself back on track. He raised his hand and tapped the air in front of him, gently ripping open the space and forming a **Garganta** and revealing a tunnel of whirling, torrential energy. He solidified the reishi beneath his feet and walked through without hesitation. As he made his way through, it took him about ten minutes to find his destination. He stepped out of the Garganta, closing it behind him, as he beheld the frozen scene before him, for the effects of his ability were still in effect.

A group of nine Arrancar were seated around a large table in one of the conference rooms of Las Noches. Three of them seemed to be arguing about something while a younger looking girl was kicking a lazy looking man who seemed to be asleep. There were three familiar faces though, the same three that he specifically came to visit. He decided that there was nothing wrong with making a cool and dramatic entrance so he jumped up to one of the platforms that were overlooking the large table and took a seat with his right leg crossed over his left and the fingers of both of his hands interlocked over his right knee. He smirked a little at the fun he was going to have with this colorful looking bunch.

He silently slipped out of his dimension, the world regaining color around him and his ears assaulted with the loud sounds of the aforementioned arguing.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

Minutes prior…

"What the fuck did you say, you slippery bitch?!" Apacci barked at the demure looking Sung-Sun who looked at her with bored eyes that were filled with condescending pity.

"I seems that you are a bit slow on the uptake, so I'll repeat myself slowly. You. Are. Too. Impulsive. To. Be. Of. Any. Use. In. An. Information. Gathering. Mission." Sung-Sun intoned slowly, like she was addressing a particularly dim child. Something that caused Apacci's face to heat up with rage.

"I'll going to fucking kill you, you skank!" She raged. Off to the side, Mila-Rose was taking great enjoyment in watching the two tear into each other.

"Hmph, the both of you behave like a bunch of immature brats." She scoffed, flacking her hair back dramatically and drawing the attention of the other two to her.

"I don't want to hear that from an uncouth barbarian such as yourself." Sung-Sun jibed causing tick marks to appear on Mila-Rose's forehead.

"What was that?! You wanna die today slut?" She seethed.

"I would prefer you didn't breath in my general direction. I'm afraid I might catch whatever primitive disease you have that seems to induce stupidity." Sung-Sun replied.

"Don't you fuckers ignore me?!" Apacci yelled as she reinserted herself in the three way war of words.

Off to the side, a wide-eyes the child-like Nel and her two 'brothers', Pesche and Dondochakka watched the argument in fascination. Moving their heads back and forth, like watching a tennis match. It was pretty exciting, much more compared to their regular game of eternal tag.

"Starrk! Could you stop being a lazy ass for five minutes?!" Lilynette scolded as she kicked the sleeping Starrk in the shin which did nothing except hurt her foot as the guy didn't even stir, causing her to fume silently.

At the head of the table sat the former Tercera Espada, and current Queen of Hueco Mundo, Tier Harribel. She listened to the ongoing arguments around her with an endless amount of patience, having gotten used to such things a long time ago. She needed to get them to stop though as there were important matters to discuss. Letting out a tired sigh, she spoke up.

"Ladies." Her cool yet authoritative voice pierced through the noise of the arguments, bringing the occupants in the room to a halt. "We have important matters to discuss. I would prefer it if you were to cease your pointless arguing as it isn't helping anyone." She ordered.

"Ara…I actually found it to be quite entertaining." A smooth masculine voice echoed throughout the room, causing Harribel's eyes to widen in shock, something that didn't happen very often. Apacci, Mila-Rose and Sung-Sun stiffened upon hearing the unfamiliar voice. Even the sleeping Starrk was sitting upright and letting his eyes wander throughout the room. Lilynette was shifting nervously at his side. Nel though, had a wide smile of her young face and her doe-eyes lit up in joy as she recognized the voice as did her two companions. "Up here." The voice stated, causing everyone's eyes to snap to the platform above their table where Ichigo was calmly sitting.

Harribel and Starrk immediately recognized him, from the information provided by Aizen before the war, as Kurosaki Ichigo. They knew of the former Captain's interest in the boy as well as his supposedly monstrous potential. What they didn't know however was how he managed to get into Las Noches without them finding out or more importantly, how he managed to so easily slip their senses. Even now, as he sat before them, they couldn't sense a sliver of reiatsu from him. If he didn't speak up and draw attention to himself, they would have never known he was there. It was unnerving.

Unfortunately, two of the Tres Bestias weren't known for their patience and were already in a foul mood so they had no patience to deal with Ichigo.

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!" Apacci and Mila-Rose roared at him, drawing their Zanpakutō. Sung-Sun just faced palmed from beside them, having immediately recognized the boy and she knew that he was far out of their league.

Ichigo just gave them an infuriatingly calm and pleasant smile, in response.

"I'm a bit hurt that you don't recognize me. After I went through all that trouble to pay this place a visit the last time. Nevertheless, it's only appropriate that I introduce myself. My name is Kurosaki-" That was as far as Ichigo's introduction got at a tiny green missile barreled into him, completely knocking him off the platform and sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Itsygo!" Nel cried out in happiness as she hugged her most favorite person in the world.

Ichigo just sighed in exasperation, his cool, mysterious entrance was completely ruined. Not to mention that he lost some serious points in terms of his image as a badass. He couldn't be upset though, as a fond smile appeared on his face as he gently embraced the little Arrancar in his arms.

"Hey Nel. I've missed you too." He chuckled out as he gently rubbed the top of her head, happy to reunite with his little friend after so long. He promised that he would help her and now was the time he would make good on his words.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _ **Author Note:**_

 _Okay that's another chapter down. This is the last of the 'Introductory' chapters. Now that I've set the stage and given Ichigo that foundations of his power, I will be moving on the more action packed events, starting from the next chapter. I'd like to address a few things from this chapter._

 _ **Ichigo's abilities**_ _: As you can see…I gave him a space-time Zanpakutō. The only other person I've seen with one was Kageroza from the filler arc. I originally wanted to give him the darkness or shadow element, as it tied in more to Mugetsu's name…but in the end I settled for a space-time element as to me…nothing screams 'godly' more than bending space and time to your whims. As you can see I made it so that he can use an ability outside of his Shikai, it's me taking a few liberties…but it isn't too farfetched as in my story, Ichigo isn't technically a Shinigami…he just has some of the abilities of one. The inspiration for the ability showed in the end of this chapter came from the many 'Gamer' stories on this site. I based it on the 'ID Create' skill. I also took some inspiration from AngelSlayer135's awesome fic, "Shadows of Deceit", something that I highly recommend you give a read is you haven't already. I will expand more on Ichigo's abilities next chapter as you will see his Shikai in action as he 'restores' Nel (nudge nudge, wink wink). All in all, he's OP as shit. Oh well…that's how it goes._

 _I also wanted to clarify my reasoning for his reiatsu being purple. The way I see it, his Shinigami powers are black, his Quincy powers are blue and his Hollow powers are red. Since the Shinigami powers are the main base of his powers, the black stays while the red and blue mix, giving us purple. So if you want to picture his reiatsu in your mind, picture the way he used to use his_ _ **Getsuga Tenshou**_ _in Bankai…Black and purple reiatsu melding with each other instead of it being black and red._

 _ **Starrk**_ _: Let me preface this by saying that Starrk is my favourite Espada (outside of the sexy Nel and Harribel of course). He had the most interesting motivations from them all, and to me…he seemed the most human of the lot. Plus, he took on four senior Captains at the same time and still held his own. Plus I feel that he was holding back even then because he only used plain Cero's and not a Gran Rey Cero or cero Oscuras. I also feel that he and Ichigo would get along like a house on fire. As I mentioned in this chapter, Ichigo is a bit on the outs with his regular crew…he needs a new bro to fill the gap. Plus, I love Lilynette. She's just too adorable for words and I can write some fun interactions between her and the boys. I can justify him surviving by the fact that Harribel survived basically being eviscerated by Aizen, the Tres Bestias were roasted alive by the Sou-taicho and are still alive not to mention Grimmjow was nearly cleaved in two by Nnoitra and somehow still managed to survive…so to me, it isn't a stretch to think that Starrk survived a stab to the chest…regardless of the circumstances leading up to it. So I'm going to go with it._

 _ **Isane**_ _: Aesir19 pointed out in his (or her) review that due to how little we saw of her real abilities, Isane never stood out as particularly powerful. To a certain degree, I can agree with that statement…however, I have a theory and I want you to try to follow me on this one_

 _(There will be a spoiler here so skip if you didn't finish the manga)._

 _In the penultimate chapter of the manga, we see that Rukia has been promoted to Captain of the 13_ _th_ _division. By that point, it was ten years after the war, 10 years of which Ukitake had been dead already. Rukia achieved her Bankai in the midst of the war, and what a devastating Bankai it was. Having a Bankai is the pre-requisite to being a Captain...yet it took Rukia 10 years to become a Captain. Again, that can be explained by the fact that it has been stated that it usually takes ten years to master a Bankai. If you take that into account, it makes sense that she was only promoted after mastering her Bankai. However, a few pages before that reveal, we see that Isane is already the Captain of the 4_ _th_ _division, another division that lost their Captain during the war. Even though she has been stated to be the second best healer in Soul Society, behind Unohona, I doubt that would be enough to be promoted to Captain. The only logical conclusion is that she attained Bankai. But if that were the case, how did she become a Captain before Rukia who achieved Bankai during the war 10 years ago. In my mind, the only obvious answer is that she had already attained Bankai long before Rukia and by extension before the war yet hid it, similar to Ikkaku. It also makes sense that Unohona felt so confident in leaving the 4_ _th_ _division to her because she was confident in her Lieutenants skill to lead them. And I can honestly see Unohona training Isane to achieve it, since those two were much closer than any other Captain-Lieutenant pair._

 _Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but it kind of makes sense to me. If any of you folks have any opinions or arguments against that, please let me know…I'm interested in hearing your take on things._

 _So yeah, until someone gives me a solid reason not to, I'm going to operate under the assumption that Isane already has Bankai._

 _ **Ichigo's new outfit**_ _: Like I explained in the chapter, he isn't a Shinigami and he cut his ties with the Gotei 13…so it felt kind of wrong to have in wear their shihakushō so I changed things up. I gave him a snazzy, modern suit. I was hoping to convey the cultural differences between the two. The Soul Society, with the archaic traditions and outdated customs and Ichigo who embraces the future and is always moving forward. It's a bit of a poor metaphor…but I'm going to go with it. Plus I think he would look good in a suit, as evidenced by the episode during the Fullbringer Arc where Orihime had her little fantasy of him._

 _ **Ichigo's relationship with his friends**_ _: I had hoped to convey the different emotions that Ichigo felt towards his friend in this chapter…I'm not sure if I pulled it off well enough though. I stated previously that this story will be written from Ichigo's perspective for the most part, hence his opinions are what come through with regards to his friends. I always felt that they had drifted apart after the war and things were never the same again. That's just my opinion. So I'm going to move forward with them being stuck in this awkward middle ground of Ichigo conflicted over whether he should finally tell them that he didn't lose his powers or whether he should just leave things be and allow them to get on with their lives as they are trying to allow him to do. I know I may have shown them in a negative light…but know that there isn't any maliciousness in their actions._

 _The Soul Society on the other hand…that is very deliberate. I refuse to believe that Rukia or Renji couldn't slip on a Gigai to come pay Ichigo a visit. It always annoyed me that they stood there watching him fight Ginjo, after allowing him be severely mind-fucked, saying that they wanted to see if he made the right decision. They seemed to be expecting him to simply accept that they were spying on him and that there was nothing wrong with it…which he did accept. What would have happened if he didn't accept that interpretation…would they have killed him? I don't know…that's why it annoys me. If they really cared, why didn't they simply kill Ginjo when they had the chance? They knew where he was thanks to the Combat Pass, if not his than at least Ichigo's. So why did they allow him to mess with Ichigo? A test to prove his worthiness to their organisation? Bullshit. Also, why didn't Isshin, Yoruichi or Kisuke take care of Ginjo if the Gotei 13 weren't going to? It always escaped me as that entire arc seemed to be for the sole reason to fuck with Ichigo. Phew…that was a long rant._

 _Also, just as a small note…I want to say that Mizuiro is my favourite of Ichigo's human friends. This is the same guy that threw a bottle at Aizen's head then calmly blew him up with an impromptu gas bomb…Badass!_

 _ **Karin and Yuzu**_ _: I decided not to get them fully involved in the spiritual world. Serenata pointed out in his (her?) review that Yuzu and Karin make a good counterbalance to the supernatural world for Ichigo. After thinking about it, I agree with that opinion. However, I decided to keep them somewhere in the middle. They will go in with their regular lives, but they still have the ability to kick-ass if need be. I would put them at the level of a Lieutenant. Also the bracelet, as mentioned was based on the one Ulquiorra made Orihime wear when he 'abducted' her. Again, I took a few liberties with it but it isn't too farfetched when you take into account that Orihime's bracelet made her intangible similar to Obito's Kamui not to mention that Kisuke has those reiatsu concealing cloaks. SO the technology isn't unattainable. Think of the bracelet as a combo of those two devices._

 _I also want to make it clear that there will be no incest here. The siblings are just really, really close. So don't read too much into their actions to find some kind of romantic path, because there is none. Even Yuzu being a bro-con was canon._

 _Anyway, that's it for this chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it and thank you for taking the time to read it and thanks you as well for your reviews…they really help give me a different perspective to look at things from. Look forward to more action next chapter and more interactions with the Hollow group (my favourite faction). The next few chapters will be about Ichigo and his interactions with the Arrancar and the various relationships he builds with them. I also foreshadowed a few 'issues' that the Arrancar needed to address. For those that are up to date with the Manga, I'm sure you can guess what that is. As the immortal Jim Ross would say…business is about to pick up._

 _Lionheart021 out!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All right to the Bleach franchise are monopolised by that magnificent asshole, Tite Kubo.**

"Talking **"**

'Thoughts **'**

 **[Mugetsu talking]**

" **Attack Names"**

 **xxxxxxx**

 **Chapter 4: Fun in Hueco Mundo**

It was a fondly exasperated Ichigo that gently held on to the babbling Nel, who had a vice-like grip on his arm as she was stuck between being overjoyed at seeing him and on the verge of tears for not having seen him for so long.

It would have been an endearing sight to the other Arrancar if they weren't on high alert at Ichigo's presence. A sharp look from Harribel made Apacci and Mila-Rose bite their tongues and step back from confronting the boy. The former Tercera Espada knowing that this was the boy, no man that had defeated Aizen. They would be fools to take him lightly, despite the fact that he gave off absolutely no presence. She decided to keep a wary yet intrigued eye on the former Substitute.

Starrk was much the same, although he was a lot more chilled out about it. He was a good enough character to judge whether or not Ichigo had any ill intentions towards them. So far, he could tell that there was none. Not to mention, he looked far too comfortable with the adorable little Arrancar in his arms to be a bad guy.

Lilynette, being the inquisitive girl she was, looked on interestedly at the intruder. She would admit, he looked pretty cool. A lot cooler than her lazy-ass of a partner. He also seemed to be quite close to Nel, which was weird considering he was supposed to be a Shinigami.

Pesche and Dondochakka were happy to see Ichigo again, knowing how much he cares about their Master and the close bond those two share.

"Okay Nel, calm down." Ichigo told the young girl as he placed her on the ground and dusted her off. Said girl sniffled feebly, wiping away her tears in an effort to be strong around her hero. Ichigo just smiled softly at her. "So how's my favourite Arrancar been doing?" He questioned as he gently ruffled her hair. Nel giggled cutely at that before beaming up at him.

"Nel missed Itsygo. But Nel has been having fun with Pesche and Dondochakka and Bawabawa in Los Naches. We've been playing more games than eternal tag. Plus the Tres Bestias are fun to watch. They are Harribel-sama's three Fracción and they are super strong and scary. Plus they're always trying to kill each other like some kind of cannibal animals. They are a gang of three super crazy monsters!" She excitedly explained to Ichigo, waving her arms around to emphasise her statement, something that Ichigo found adorable. Harribel chuckled at the description the little Arrancar gave to her Fracción. The aforementioned ladies though weren't feeling the same.

"What did you call us, you snot-nose brat?!" Apacci and Mila-Rose screamed at Nel.

"Hiiii!" Said little girl screeched in fear as she hid behind Ichigo's leg. She did however, poke her head around his leg and stick her tongue out at the irate women. Much to the amusement of the others.

Harribel had to hide a smile at the interaction. Starrk as well couldn't help but crack a smirk. Even he could admit that things were livelier these days.

Ichigo looked over and spotted Nel's 'brothers' and raised his hand in greeting.

"Yo, Pesche. Dondochakka. How's it going?" He casually greeted.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. It's truly an auspicious occasion for us to meet again like this. Why, not since we fought side-by-side, bravely defending each other's backs against the forces of evil have we seen each other. I remember it like it was yesterday. It's truly marvellous to meet one of my brothers-in-arms again." Pesche narrated eloquently, much to the confusion of the other Arrancar. Ichigo just sweat-dropped at his over the top personality. He forgot how annoying this guy could be.

'He's like the Arrancar version of Keigo, except with a better vocabulary.' Ichigo thought tiredly. He just got here and he was already feeling exhausted. He ignored Pesche and turned his attention to Dondochakka.

"Hey Dondochakka. You're looking good. Did you lose weight?"

Dondochakka burst into tears, much to the shock of everyone present, who were startled by his shift in emotions.

"Somebody finally noticed, dontcha know! You are too kind, Ichigo-dono!" He shouted loudly, before breaking into a sprint with his arms wide open towards Ichigo, intent on engaging him in a manly hug. Ichigo deftly side-stepped the attempt, allowing Dondochakka to crash face first into the wall, leaving a large crater.

"You guys are as lively as ever." Ichigo commented with a rueful chuckle. He patted Nel head once again before turning towards the other occupants of the room who were keeping a wary eye on him. He let out a friendly smile when he turned to them though, something that caught some of them off guard. "And it seems you made some new friends too. Hey there, names Kurosaki Ichigo." He introduced himself with a casual wave of his hand.

"We are well aware of who you are, Kurosaki Ichigo. Aizen had an extensive database concerning you." Harribel replied coolly, never taking her careful eyes of him.

"O….kay…That's doesn't sound creepy at all." He drawled out sarcastically. "You know, it's considered polite to introduce yourself when someone introduces themselves to you." He pointed out. Harribel quirked an eyebrow at him, before conceding to his point.

"Tier Harribel." She said promptly. Ichigo quirked an eyebrow at her standoffish response but chalked it up to a personality quirk. He instead took the time to examine her appearance. Harribel has olive skin, aqua eyes, thick eyelashes, and short golden blonde hair, which was kept messy with three braided locks. She wears a variation of the Arrancar jacket with a high collar, which covers the lower part of her face downward, while baring a good portion of the lower half of her large breasts. The jacket has a zipper running along its entire length, which is opened from the bottom upwards. It has a beige air filter on either side just below the trim. The jacket's sleeves completely envelop her arms, terminating in black glove-like extensions at her extremities, resembling the appearance of a cat's paw. It certainly was an exotic and unique appearance.

He turned to the three women who stood next to Harribel, the same three who arguing when he arrived. He looked at them intently, urging them to follow their leader's example.

"My name is Cyan Sung-Sun. It's a pleasure to meet you Ichigo-sama." Sung-Sun, being polite as ever and much more socially aware than her fellow Fracción, took the initiate to respectfully greet the, from her memory, far more powerful warrior. She wore a long white dress, with sleeves extending well past her hands and two belts crisscrossing each other on her waist. Sung-Sun also has long, flowing green hair, and three dots below her right eye. Her mask remnants create three hair clip-like extensions on the right side of her hair. She also seemed to have a habit of covering her mouth with the large sleeve on her left hand.

"Franceska Mila-Rose." The introduction was short, just like Harribel, but unlike her leader's, Mila-Rose sultrily licked her lips as she spoke, her voice taking on a seductive undertone. Mila-Rose is a dark-skinned Arrancar whose mask fragments form a three-sectioned crown around her head and a thick necklace. She had a thick mane of semi-curly, dark brown hair. Her Hollow hole is positioned midway between her navel and breasts

"Che…Emilou Apacci. Be grateful I'm even speaking to you punk." She said gruffly, clearly not impressed with him. Ichigo just sweat-dropped at her brash personality. Apacci seemed to be a tomboyish Arrancar with heterochromia, one sky blue and one amber eye, with the latter having a red ring around it. Apacci's mask fragment is on the top of her head, with a horn in the middle.

Ichigo then turned to the young looked girl who was looking at him intently while bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Hi! I'm Lilynette Gingerback! It's nice to meet you, Ichigo-san." She said boisterously, with an excited smile on her face. Ichigo smiled warmly at her. She reminded him greatly of Yuzu. She looked to be around the same age too, physical at least. She wore white-coloured briefs with a black line positioned in the middle, arm-warmers, a revealing vest with a high collar and thigh-high, fur-lined boots. Her Hollow hole was positioned in the centre of her stomach. The remainder of her Hollow mask is in the form of a helmet. With two horns on the top of her head. The left horn looked as though it had been cut off and the left half of the mask covers her left eye. Her right eye is a light pink, with the left eye covered by her hollow mask and a flame design over the eyehole and she also has light green hair. Ichigo immediately took a liking to the friendly girl. Her bright smile was replaced by a heavy scowl though when she turned to her partner, who seemed to have dozed off again. "Wake up you bum and introduce yourself!" She shouted into his ear, causing his to jolt upright in his seat before sending her a look of annoyance.

"Hey. Coyote Starrk. Nice to meet you." He introduced himself, barely fighting off a yawn. Starrk has blue-grey eyes and wavy, dark brown hair, parted down the middle which ends at the base of his neck and looked unkempt. He also has a faded goatee. He wears the typical Arrancar clothing, a white jacket outlined in black, though it was altered with the collar upturned. He has a black sash around his waist along with white gloves. The remains of his Hollow mask consists of a fanged bottom jaw which is positioned along his neck, similar to a necklace. His Hollow hole is located on his sternum, right below the tip of his mask. He seemed like a pretty okay guy to Ichigo. He was extremely powerful as well, if Ichigo's senses weren't lying to him. Easily the most powerful Arrancar in the room. Far above most of the Captain's in the Gotei 13. But he seemed to be just behind Ulquiorra in terms of power.

"Well it's nice to meet all of you." Ichigo responded to their introductions. Harribel just narrowed her eyes at him, making him chuckle at her wariness.

"That is all well and good but it begs the question. Why are you here? More importantly, how did you get in here?" She questioned. Even though there was no emotion in her voice, Ichigo could clearly hear the demand. He just sighed at her guarded stance. He honestly didn't initially plan on meeting any of them. Maybe it was the sliver of loneliness he's been feeling lately, but he wanted to try and get to know them as they seemed like an interesting bunch. Besides, they were friends with Nel so they couldn't be too bad as he trusted the judgement of the little Arrancar.

"First off, I'm here to see Nel. Meeting you lot was just a happy accident." Ichigo replied, much to the protest of Pesche and Dondochakka who gave shouts of complaint. "Okay fine! I came to see the two of you idiots as well." That seemed to placate the duo who crossed their arms and nodded sagely, much to the annoyance of Ichigo. "As to how I got here, I opened a Garganta of course. I've been inside this place before so it wasn't too hard to open a Garganta in here." That got a few raised eyebrows from those gathered. As far as they were aware, he was a Shinigami. It seemed a bit farfetched that he could open a Garganta. Seeing the disbelieving looks he was getting, Ichigo rolled his eyes before tapping the air beside him, opening up a Garganta for them all to see. "Happy?" He asked, seeing their widened, disbelieving eyes. They could barely comprehend how a supposed Shinigami had opened a Garganta.

"Wow! You're so cool Itsygo!" Nel praised as she looked up at him with stars in her eyes. Ichigo puffed up his chest and smirked confidently in response.

"Of course. I am friends with the great and powerful Nel Tu, the great master of the desert and best eternal tag player in all of Hueco Mundo after all." Ichigo boasted playfully, causing Nel to stick her chest out proudly with her hands on her hips in a pose that was meant to look regal but instead looked ridiculously cute.

"It's good that Itsygo understands Nel's greatness." She responded, causing Ichigo to laugh at her behaviour. Nel too laughed, happy to be having fun with Ichigo. "Did Itsygo really come all the way to play with Nel?" She asked curiously. He sobered up instantly, giving her a small smile as he pet her.

"I sure did. But I also came to keep my promise to you." She looked at him quizzically, not understanding what he meant. "I promised that I would protect you, remember. The best way I can do that is make sure that you can protect yourself. So, will you trust me to help you?" Ichigo asked. Nel looked deep into Ichigo's eyes, something that he didn't shy away from, before breaking out into a wide smile.

"Of course Nel trusts Itsygo!" She declared confidently. He smiled in return.

"Then we best get going." He said as he picked her up and placed her on his shoulders, much to her joy as she squealed happily and latched onto his bright orange hair like she was holding the reigns of a horse.

"W-Wait a minute, Kurosaki Ichigo! Where are you taking Nel-sama?" Pesche frantically asked, the others in the room also wondering where he was taking the little Arrancar. Ichigo just looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Outside of course. I remember Ulquiorra telling me that all Espada below number 4 were prohibited from releasing their sword within Las Noches. I need to release my Shikai for me to help Nel and I don't think it's safe for you guys if I were to do that in here. Hence, I'm doing to do it outside." He stated before continuing walking, leaving Pesche and Dondochakka scrambling to catch up to him. He could have used **Shunpo** to cover the distance in seconds but he decided to take the scenic route. Not to mention that Nel seemed to enjoy the ride she was getting. He wanted to enjoy this form of her for a little longer. Besides, if he did take off like that, the others wouldn't be able to sense him if they wanted to follow.

The other Arrancar looked at each other before following Ichigo, clearly interested in seeing what he was going to do. They weren't too worried about what he would do anymore as he didn't seem to hold any ill will against them nor did he seem to be looking for a fight. He was polite and respectful. Not to mention, he seemed really close to Nel and treated her with great care and affection. The little Arrancar seemed enamoured with him too and that was enough for them to conclude that he must be a good person. They also wanted to see him release his sword. They would be lying if they said they weren't interested in the kind of power he had, especially since he had defeated Aizen. Even the normally lazy Starrk followed with interest.

Harribel did wonder why the young man was taking a casual walk instead of using his **Shunpo** , but disregarded it as he seemed to be enjoying the walk with Nel on his shoulders. He was most peculiar for a Shinigami. He seemed to hold no hatred for their kind, despite their role in the war that he fought. They had also kidnapped his friend and kept her hostage. It doesn't seem to bother him, if the friendly way he greeted and interacted with them was anything to go by. She would be lying if she said she wasn't curious about him. She wanted to know his motivations. She wanted to know what drove him. It was rare for her to take interest in anything, but she would make an exception for the strange young man. It also interested her that he mentioned Ulquiorra. None of the other Arrancar knew what happened to the emotionless Cuatro Espada as they found no trace of him upon their return. She was keen to know what happened to him for he was one of the few tolerable Espada.

Starrk too, was quite interested in Ichigo. He couldn't sense any reiatsu coming from him but he clearly wasn't powerless if the Garganta he opened up was anything to go by, not to mention that he spoke of releasing his Shikai. It was a strange paradox. He also seemed like a pretty cool guy. Lilynette seemed to take an instant liking to him and Starrk trusted the judgement of his partner. His own instincts were telling him that he could trust Ichigo. It was a strange feeling for someone like him. He honestly hoped that he could get to know him more. It would be nice to have another guy to talk to. Pesche and Dondochakka were the only other men around, and the less said about those two lunatics, the better.

Lilynette was already running to catch up to Ichigo. As she got there, she started excitedly walking beside him.

"Ne, Ichigo-san. How come you can open a Garganta? Aren't you a Shinigami?" Lilynette inquired innocently, an inquisitive expression on her face. Ichigo smiled down at the bubbly little girl. He slowly pulled out a candy bar, unwrapped it and offered it to the salivating Nel who happily munched on it. He noticed that Lilynette was looking longingly at the candy bar, causing him to chuckle and pull out another and hand it to her making her beam at him in happiness. "Thank you!"

He didn't even have to look back to know that the rest of the Arrancar had perked up interestedly, obviously eavesdropping to find out more about him. They were just as interested as Lilynette. They were never more thankful for the friendly and inquisitive nature of the young girl as they were now.

"Haha, you're welcome. It's fine to just call me Ichigo, Lilynette. I'm not one for formalities." He said, causing the girl to smile happily as she savoured her candy bar. She was excited to make a new friend. "As to how I can open a Garganta…well technically I'm not a Shinigami." She looked a bit lost and confused at that. Seeing her confusion, he decided to elaborate. "While I most certainly have to powers of a Shinigami, I don't really consider myself one as all Shinigami are affiliated with the Gotei 13. I, on the other hand, am not. With that in mind, even though I have the abilities of a Shinigami…I also have the powers of a Hollow. Something I'm sure that creepy paedophilic stalker, Aizen, must have informed you about." He added, causing her to giggle mischievously at his description of their former leader. Ichigo also heard a few snickers from the following group. He didn't even have to look back to know it was Apacci and Mila-Rose. "The reason for that is because apparently, my mother was infected by a Hollow before I was born. It happened when she was fighting a Vasto Lorde, since he infected her before she killed him, that taint was imprinted on her soul. When I was conceived, it passed onto me. So that is the reason I have a Hollow nature so to speak. I can also use stuff like **Cero** and **Hierro** too. Pretty cool huh?"

"Cool!" She grinned at his story, before remembering something important. "Wait! Your mother killed a Vasto Lorde!?" She questioned in shock. The others were in a similar state of disbelief. Harribel and Starrk though, were listening intently, curious about any titbit they could pick up about their mysterious visitor. They were quite surprised to hear that his soul carried the power of a Hollow since birth. Such things were unheard of before. Then again, it was a Vasto Lorde, so it wasn't too farfetched to think that the consequences of having that in you didn't yield any power. Hearing that his mother apparently killed said Vasto Lorde was also shocking. As two former Vasto Lorde's themselves, they knew the kind of power that the highest evolution of Hollow's possessed. It was nothing to sneeze at. Hell, most of the Captains in the Soul Society would have great difficulty dealing with one. Hearing that his supposedly human mother killed one was something they found hard to believe.

"Yep! It was the coolest. My dad was fighting him originally, but he got his ass kicked. He was about to be killed but then my mom arrived on the scene. She sent an attack at the Hollow, but it didn't even scratch him. His **Hierro** was pretty tough. So she did something completely unexpected." Lilynette leaned in curiously, as did the rest. Clearly invested in his story. "She held her arms out to him and invited him to attack."

"What!" The little girl shouted in shock. That was crazy. No normal person would do something that crazy.

"Yeah. As she held out her arms, the Hollow rushed her, hoping to bite a chuck out of her shoulder. Unfortunately for him, my mother had an ability similar to **Hierro** and he therefore couldn't bite very deep. As he had his teeth clamped down on her shoulder, she wrapped an arm around his head, holding him in place before bringing up her other arm, which had a crossbow in it, and held it to his head before blowing his brains out." He finished, leaving his small audience amazed.

"Wow! You're mom sounds so cool!" Lilynette gushed. There were stars in her eyes as she pictured the scene.

"Haha! Yeah, she was pretty badass!" Ichigo bragged. He was always happy to tell stories of his mother. It didn't hurt as much as it used to when he talked about her. He was happy to take advantage of that fact and tell stories of how awesome she was.

"I would love to meet her some day!" She said excitedly. Ichigo's smile shrank a little but it was still in place.

"That won't be possible since she died a few years ago." He informed her gently. The girl looked at him with wide eyes.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories." She apologies quietly. She wanted to leave it at that but she was still curious. "Um…If you don't mid me asking…how did she die?" She questioned tentatively.

Ichigo wasn't at all bothered by the question. He may have been a few months ago but he has since made peace with it. He could tell that she was just curious and there was no malicious intent behind it.

"She was killed by a Hollow. Grand Fisher, to be exact."

Lilynette's eyes widened in horror at that. Harribel's Fracción shifted uncomfortably at that piece of information. Even Starrk flinched slightly at hearing that. Harribel herself felt her eyes widen imperceptibly before gazing intently at Ichigo's back, as if trying to solve a puzzle. She couldn't understand him.

Ichigo looked to the side to see Lilynette staring ahead in horror as well as a little shame. He decided to put her fears to rest. He gently ruffled her hair, drawing her attention to him.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I've made peace with it already. Besides, I already took care of Grand Fisher. I'm sure her soul was able to move on by now. She's probably somewhere in the Soul Society." Ichigo informed her, making her smile in relief. Although that wasn't the full truth, as apparently his old man took out Grand Fisher. But they didn't need to know that.

Harribel though, couldn't contain her curiosity anymore.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." She intoned, getting not only his attention, but of all those around her. It was rare for her to speak unless it was important. "I've come to understand that it is somewhat expected for one to hate the people who kill someone close to you. It is something that I have understood better since the end of the war. Which is why you confuse me. How is it that you can walk so casually amongst the very race of creatures responsible for the death of your loved one?" She asked bluntly, staring intently at the back of his head. There was silence in the corridor as the other Arrancar listened intently for his answer. Even Nel stopped munching on her candy bar. He didn't answer for a few minutes, causing the more impatient one to fidget nervously.

"It's true that hatred might be the natural emotion to feel in those circumstances. I won't lie and tell you that I've never felt such hatred for Hollows, because I did." He said, causing Lilynette to look down sadly and even Nel sobered up. "But over my journey in the spiritual world, I've come to understand many things. I've met different characters. Some good. Some bad. It has allowed me to see the world from a different perspective. I've met many kind Hollow's, who care deeply about their friends and family." He said, looking intently at the three former Espada. "I've met Shinigami who would kill their family without hesitation in order to satisfy their pride and ego. I've seen humans that are far more monstrous than any Hollow could ever hope to be. I have encountered Shinigami that are fair and just and who do their best to keep the world safe but I've also seen the atrocities committed by the Soul Society. I've also met Hollows that were every bit the bloodthirsty beasts that most make them out to be." His audience silently digested his words as they thought hard about what he said. "What I'm trying to say is that, the world isn't as black and white as people make it out to be. It isn't all good and evil. There are varying shades of grey and one simply has to be opened minded to accept these facts and not stubbornly cling to stereotypes." There were many thoughtful faces that were silently nodding along. Ichigo looked at Harribel out of the corner of his eyes. "You ask how I can walk so casually amongst you. It us because I know that you are all good people." That seemed to shock a few of them if their bulging eyes were anything to go by. "There is no point in holding on to senseless hatred. For that does nothing but perpetuate an endless cycle of hatred and violence. I prefer to look past such petty ideals. I like to think I'm a good judge of character and my instincts tell me that I can trust you all. Which is why I'm telling you as much as I am since I haven't even told the Soul Society as much as I have told you. Plus, you all looked after Nel and took care of her in my absence. She seems to like you all as well. That is enough for me to count you as friends in my book." He said with a warm smile. "Besides, I'm just as much a Hollow as I am a Shinigami. It wouldn't make much sense for me to hate myself now would it?"

Harribel closed her eyes in acceptance. Having nothing further to say in the face of his profound answer. She would never say it out loud, but it gave her a great deal of satisfaction to hear him referring to her as a friend. She didn't know what it was about this strange young man, but there was something about him that called out to her. She was positive that Starrk felt it too. There was this strange magnetism to him. She was at first extremely distrustful when he first showed up, remembering the last time a Shinigami casually showed up in Hueco Mundo and the pain that it brought. But Ichigo was different. There was a kind and gentle air to him. Something that soothed her and told her that everything will be okay. She couldn't sense his reiatsu but his very presence was comforting. Like a warm embrace. It made her want to put her trust in him…and she didn't like it one bit. She was always cold and calculating. She never did things without a reason. She had liked to think she had evolved beyond the primitive instincts of her species and therefore liked to follow logic. Which was why this young man's presence was causing turmoil in her world. She remembered the last time she blindly trusted a man. She ended up being betrayed and ruthlessly cut down. She refused to make that mistake again. The lives of her Fracción along with the other Arrancar were in her hands now. She would do her utmost to ensure their safety. Which is why she would keep a close eye on the former Substitute. She would do her best to fight her nature for as long as she could to make sure that the man in front of her was worthy of the trust that she was sure the others would put in him if what she was feeling was any indication.

Starrk cracked a small smile at hearing Ichigo's response. It was quite thought provoking and something he agreed with 100%. His already positive opinion of Ichigo rose even further. He was now truly interested in getting to know the guy. Starrk could tell they were a lot alike. They were lonely souls in search of the warmth of companionship. He also felt himself get pulled in by the natural charisma of Ichigo, something that he didn't fight. Starrk was perceptive, far more than anybody ever gave him credit for. He already judged the character of Ichigo and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he could thrust this man completely. It was in the nature of Hollow's to be instinctual and his instincts have never lead him astray before. He spied Harribel out of the corner of his eye and he could the inner struggle she was going through. It wasn't a surprise to him as he knew she had a lot of issues since being betrayed by Aizen. He also knew that she fought against the more primal instincts of their race more than others, thinking that logical thinking would make her more humane. It wasn't completely wrong but sometimes, whether you're a Hollow a Shinigami or even a human, one should just listen to their instincts. He would leave her to sort out her issues herself as it was something that she needed to overcome but he knew their new friend will prove to be more than worthy of their trust and break down those barriers she's put up.

"We're here." Ichigo stated, breaking them out of their thoughts. The main entrance/exit of Las Noches before them. Ichigo looked back at Harribel, quirking an eyebrow at her, urging her to do something.

At first she was confused as to why but she soon realised, much to her embarrassment, that she needed to input reiatsu signature into the scanner to open the gates. Once she hurriedly got that done, allowing the gates to open, Ichigo was greeted with the vast emptiness of Hueco Mundo. An endless desert as far as the eye could see with a clear night sky…with the exception of the full moon that hung in the sky. He had a momentary flashback to the last time he crossed this desert and cracked a small smile. He broke into a run, hoping to get clear of Las Noches as much as possible. They others briskly followed him. He came to a stop when he got far enough.

He plucked Nel off his shoulders, much to her displeasure, and place her gently on the ground. He ruffled her hair and spoke softly to her.

"I need you to stay here and be patient for me Nel. Can you do that?"

"How rude! Of course Nel can do that. Nel isn't stupid you know." She argued with a cute pout on her face. Ichigo chuckled at her behaviour. He looked up and gave a nod to the uncharacteristically serious looking Pesche and Dondochakka. Even they understood the gravity of the situation. He used **Shunpo** to appear a few metres away from the group, not wanting them to be caught up in his release. There were many curious sets of eyes that followed him.

'Hey Mu-chan, it's your big debut. Let's make it flashy for our audience.' Ichigo thought. He could literally feel the irritation of his Zanpakutō spirit in his mind.

 **[Ichigo-sama, I've asked you on numerous occasions to stop calling me by that infernal nickname]**. Mugetsu said in a sweet tone of voice that did nothing to hide the promise of pain hidden in her tone. Ichigo just chuckled at her, having grown accustomed to her quirks.

'And I have asked you to just call me Ichigo. So until you address me without honorifics, I'm going to keep calling you by that nickname.' He argued back, much to her annoyance. They both put it out of their minds and got ready to release for the first time in front of people, not counting Yuzu and Karin. 'I've got a suggestion to make it even cooler. Do you think we can do something like this?' He questioned, projecting an image in his mind for her to view.

 **[It should be simple enough. Why though? I mean what's the point of making it so flashy?]**. She inquired.

'Ah my dear Mu-chan. First impressions are everything. I want to leave a lasting impression on them. Besides, what's so wrong about wanting to show off the majesty of my beautiful Zanpakutō?' He teased, causing her to flush imperceptibly.

He had become quite good at getting under her skin over these last few months. Something that made her both happy, as it meant their bond had grown stronger…as well as annoyed as he seemed to make it his mission to break her elegant demeanour and bring out her down to the level of regular people. Something that he succeeded in doing most of the time. She wouldn't complain though, as their bond with each other was something that could never be broken.

'All right. Let's do this. Thanks for showing it to me, but I'm going to take a page out of your book, Ulquiorra'. Ichigo thought as he unsheathed his Zanpakutō, holding it in front of him. He gathered his reiatsu and prepared for his release. The air was tense for a moment, before Ichigo's voice rang out in the emptiness of the desert.

" **Fade to Black, Mugetsu"**

There was an explosion of black and purple reiatsu that towered high into the air, seeming to encompass the sky before purple raindrops of pure reiatsu rained down on the audience in an awe-inspiring display. They all watched, captivated by the display of power and beauty. The odd thing was that even though they could see the physical manifestation of the reiatsu, they couldn't feel it. They couldn't feel the depth or the texture of it like one normally could in these situations. That just made it all the more entrancing. What they could feel though, was the monstrous presence that weighted down on them. It wasn't reiatsu, more like an aura permeating the air. The quality of a king, an alpha male. It was an aura of pure dominance that seemed to be calling out to them to bow down to it. They had never felt anything like it before.

With a swing of his sword, Ichigo cleared the reiatsu away, revealing his Shikai for them to see. It was a pure black blade, similar to his old Bankai. The difference though, was the length. It was much longer, in the realms of ōdachi-class swords, with a slightly more upward curving tip. There were three upward curving grooves on the blunt end of the sword as well. The handle was still wrapped in black leather with purple diamonds along the side and the manji guard remained, except it was now black as well. There was a chain hanging off the end of the handle though, that ended with a five pointed Quincy cross hanging off it. Even though it looked simple enough, it was still enough to inspire a little fear in the some of the Arrancar.

Ichigo disappeared in a burst of **Shunpo** before reappearing a few metres in from of a dazed looking Nel, who was still admiring the pretty display.

"Okay Nel, I'm going to start. I'm going to need you to stay still and trust me okay?" He stated with a serious look on his face causing the little Arrancar to gulp but nod without hesitation.

Ichigo held out his free hand toward Nel, concentrating a little before a translucent purple dome appeared around her head. She was enamoured by the dome and thankfully didn't panic much.

There others were a bit more cautious and didn't seem to like where this was going. Apacci and Mila-Rose wanted to jump in and stop what was happening but they were surprisingly held at bay by a stern looking Pesche and Dondochakka.

Ichigo nodded when he got the dimensions of the dome just right before activating his ability.

" **Temporal Reversion."**

Before the amazed eyes of the Arrancar, Nel's broken mask slowly started to knit itself back together. The large scar across her face stared to fade away as well. It took less than a minute, but the mask fully reformed. When that happened, there was an explosion of pink smoke that engulfed the area.

Ichigo smiled at the success of his endeavour before silently releasing his technique.

The others looked on, curious to see what was the results were. None more so than Pesche and Dondochakka who realised what Ichigo had done. They both had tears on their eyes as they felt the familiar reiatsu of their Master.

As the smoke cleared away, everyone present was treated to a view of a drastically changed Nel. In place of the adorable little tyke that they knew her to be, was a tall and voluptuous woman.

Her new form is that of a fully-grown curvaceous and well-endowed adult with long waving greenish-blue hair, retaining similar features to her child form, including the crimson line that runs across her face, but her bottom canines aren't quite as pronounced. Her gown is now torn into a skirt and a top, connected with a single strip across her abdomen. Her skull mask also differs slightly, its features appearing sharper and less cartoonish with a pair of curved horns, and the once missing teeth fully reformed. She also carried her Zanpakutō in her left hand

The Arrancar present, with the exception of Pesche and Dondochakka, were shocked into silence at the drastic change in the girl. Not just her appearance but the amount of reiatsu they were feeling from her. It was easily comparable to Harribel. They got their answer to why that is though, when a gentle wind blew across her back, revealing a large "3" tattooed on her back, indicating that she was the former 3rd Espada. It was an eye-opener. They weren't too familiar with the previous Espada as they were some of the newer members, despite their high rank. To think that the energetic little girl that used to run around and play pranks on them was in actuality the former Tercera Espada.

Nel slowly opened her eyes, taking in the new view that she was offered. She would feel her power fully restored. It wasn't temporary like the last time. That burning scar on her face also ceased to exist. He body felt in tip-top condition and she could feel the tight muscles beneath her skin. The stoic look on her face gave away absolutely nothing though as she gazed at her body. As she was done with her inspection, she turned her emotionless gaze to Ichigo, who was standing before her. He looked at her with a warm smile on his face.

Nothing was said between them…before Nel burst into action.

"Ichigo!" With a wide smile on her face, she tackled Ichigo into a bone-crushing hug…smothering his face into her soft, cushiony breasts, despite being at least a head shorter than him…leaving the poor guy struggling for air, much to the amusement of Harribel's Fracción and Lilynette, who was cheering Ichigo on. The blonde former Tercera Espada though wasn't very happy. For some reason or the other, the scene before her really annoyed her. She decided not to dwell on it though.

Starrk was smirking at the situation Ichigo found himself in….whilst simultaneously cursing him for being such a lucky bastard.

""Nel-sama!"" Pesche and Dondochakka cried out as they both crashed into the hug, making it an impromptu group hug…much to the annoyance of Ichigo. He didn't mind Nel, because she was soft and pretty. These bastards on the other hand…he wasn't going to stick around for that. He used **Shunpo** to stealthily escape the pile up, moving to a spot just beside Starrk as he watched the reunion fondly.

"Nice work. You got quite the reward for your trouble as well. If you ask me, it was worth it." Starrk drawled out in a teasing tone, making Ichigo gape at him.

"I didn't do it for that, you smug bastard!" Ichigo raged at him with a comical look of denial on his face. It didn't work though as the former Primera patted Ichigo on the shoulder before nodding sagely…as if that was supposed to explain everything.

Ichigo, being the mature and level-headed guy that he is, did the only thing that made sense to him. He pulled his eye down and stuck his tongue out at Starrk causing the man to sweat-drop at the expression that looked totally out of place on the normally stern face of Ichigo.

Ichigo, though, put it out of his mind and turned his attention back to Nel and her Fracción. There was more work to be done.

"Oi! Pesche. Dondochakka. Go and stand over there. I'm not done yet and you guys are next." He ordered. They two of them looked at him in shock while Nel just clapped happily at Ichigo's next course action. The two subjects of Ichigo's orders took a few seconds to kick into action but they eventually scrambled to get into position, standing side by side, just in front of Ichigo.

Nel used her **Sonído** to appear beside Ichigo, curious to see his ability in action. He held his hand out once again, allowing two translucent purple bubbles to cover the heads of the two Arrancar.

" **Temporal Reversion."**

Once again, Ichigo's power went to work. Unlike with Nel, they couldn't really see what was happening under those fake masks that the two wore. But the two of them could feel themselves being repaired. Just like before, there was an explosion of smoke. Lilac for Pesche and yellow for Dondochakka.

As the smoke cleared, jaws hit the ground, Ichigo included, as they beheld the restored forms of Nel's Fracción.

Pesche now stood straighter, looking taller as well. His skin was pale, in a healthy way, and unblemished. His body was taut with well compressed muscles. He had a classic swimmers build. He was wearing tattered white trousers and a lilac vest. He was a mask fragment covering his left eye with his right eye left on display. His eye was light blue in color. His pale blonde hair was straight and hanging just past his shoulders. His Zanpakutō was in the shape of a sabre with a light purple hilt.

Dondochakka now stood at a height of at least 6'6 and his large body was extremely muscular. Not overly bulky like Yammy, but more proportional and aesthetic. He looked to be built for power. He had short, spiky black hair and light brown eyes. His mask fragment took the form of a guard that covered his jaw. His face looked a lot more chiseled and manly than before. His Zanpakutō was a little strange, being a yellow and black Kanabo.

The silence was deafening as they beheld the true forms of the two goofballs that followed Nel around. Apacci and Mila-Rose couldn't keep the blushes off their faces as they ogled their fellow Fracción, much to the amusement of Sung-Sun. It was such a stark difference from their usual appearance that it wasn't even funny.

Seeing their expressions of shock, Pesche let out his usual laugh.

"What's the matter, Ichigo-dono? Are you enraptured by my bishonen appearance?" He questioned while striking a ridiculous pose, his 'brother' joining him by flexing his large muscles.

Aaaaaaand it's gone.

Whatever illusion Ichigo may have been under was broken as he stared at the two idiots with a dead-pan look on his face. Nel just giggled at the antics of her companions.

"You three should probably find some clothes that fit you better and get yourselves cleaned up." Ichigo advised, doing his best to ignore the strange duo, who were still doing strange poses, enjoying the return to their original bodies.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the tugging he felt on his coat. He looked to the side to see a serenely smiling Nel looking up at him with a few tears at the corner of her eyes.

"Thank you, Ichigo. For everything." She choked out before being pulled into a hug by the exasperated Ichigo, who couldn't help but smile fondly and gently stroke her hair as he embraced her.

"Anything for you, Nel. Anything." He replied. He nodded in reply to the looks he received from Pesche and Dondochakka, clearly conveying their thanks for not only healing them but mainly for returning their Master to her true form. No words needed to be said for the three men understood each other enough to convey their heartfelt thanks for the woman that was close to all of their hearts.

"Okay that's enough of this mushy crap. Go get cleaned up so we can finally catch up." Ichigo ordered sternly getting a mock salute from Nel before she took off in a burst of **Sonído** , leaving her two companions scrambling to keep up with her.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

The rest of the gang returned to the conference room as they waited for the three freshly restored Arrancar to finished getting dressed and join them. Ichigo having long since sealed his Zanpakutō.

Although he wasn't a mind reader, Ichigo could feel the curious stares of the women in the room. Starrk was far more subtle about it but he too seemed to be curious about Ichigo's ability. Nobody made any move to question him though.

Ichigo would have like to have said that they were sitting in silence but Harribel's Fracción were having another pointless and loud argument amongst themselves. Ichigo leaned over to Lilynette and posed the question to her.

"Are they always like this?"

The young Arrancar looked at Ichigo with tired and resigned eyes.

"Every single day. It was amusing at first. Now it's just plain annoying." She complained with an irritated look on her face. Ichigo chortled lightly at the girl's irritation. He turned to a barely awake Starrk instead.

"So what do you guys do for fun around here?"

"Sleep." Starrk lazily answered, getting a dead-pan look in response from Ichigo. It also earned him a smack to the back of the head from Lilynette, making him grumble about 'annoyingly, energetic brats'.

"There really isn't much to do aside from sitting around and talking." Lilynette answered sadly, a cute pout on her face as a result.

Ichigo sweat-dropped at the limited range of options available to them.

'It must really get boring here. I can see now why she was so excited to talk to me. I'm probably the most interesting thing that's happened in a while.' Ichigo deduced.

Their conversation was cut short by Nel and her Fracción entering the room. They were looking really smart. Much more formidable than before. It was seriously impressive. Ichigo gave a smirk at their appearances.

Nel was decked out in her old Espada uniform that fit her like a glove. Pesche wore something similar to Ulquiorra with Dondochakka wearing Yammy's old outfit.

"Looking good guys." Ichigo complimented with a cheesy thumbs up in their direction.

"Ehehe." Nel laughed bashfully as she rubbed the back of her head.

The three of them hurriedly took their places at the table. Nel, of course was comfortably seated next to her favourite strawberry.

"So Nel…you were an Espada?" Harribel questioned tentatively.

Nel frowned a little before properly introducing herself.

"Hai. My name is Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. I am the former Tercera Espada." She stated before launching into the tale of her time as an Espada and the circumstances that led her to being the way she was as well as Szayel and Nnoitra's role in her incapacitation.

Needless to say, none of the occupants in the room were happy after the story. The women, of course, were disgusted by the blatant sexism exhibited by Nnoitra as well as his petty need to sooth his pathetically fragile ego. The guys weren't in a good mood either. Pesche and Dondochakka, for obvious reasons. Ichigo lost all emotion on his face as he once again heard the story that made his blood boil. He so wished he could rip that skinny little bitch, Nnoitra, to pieces but it was too late for that. Starrk too felt anger, for he was someone who valued his comrades deeply…regardless of the kind of people they were. It made him upset that someone like Nnoitra would throw away the companionship offered to him over something like his pride.

"I know you well enough to know that this won't make you feel better…but for what it's worth, the last time I saw Nnoitra was when Zaraki Kenpachi cut him in half." Ichigo said. Nel didn't react much to the news but her eyes did show sadness, before finally settling on relief as she smiled at her Fracción, signaling that their nightmare was over.

"Earlier you mentioned that Ulquiorra told you about the restrictions on our releases within Las Noches. He wasn't here when we returned. Do you know what happened to him?" Harribel questioned Ichigo as she pierced him with her gaze. That drew everyone's attention to him.

Ichigo let out a small sigh before he gazed at Harribel, his eyes showing sadness and remorse, something that took her by surprise.

"I'm sorry to say that he is dead." He stated, his voice echoing in the silence of the room. Harribel closed her eyes in resignation while Starrk let out a sigh of regret. Even though they weren't particularly close to the Cuatro, he was a valued comrade and he was much more preferable to the other animals that made up the Espada. "For what it's worth, he died with a smile on his face. He had finally found what he had been searching for all along and he was at peace in the end." He informed them solemnly. The two former Espada nodded, grateful for that piece of information.

"Hey Ichi, could you tell us the story of how you defeated Aizen?" Nel asked curiously, blowing away the somber atmosphere of the room and causing all the occupants to perk up in interest before looking at him intently. He just cracked a grin at her attempt at raising the mood in the room before launching into his tale.

His audience was captivated as he spun his tale about his encounter. From the moment he stepped foot in the fake Karakura Town, to watching Aizen effortlessly cut down the Captains of the Gotei 13. He mentioned Aizen's numerous transformations, along with the fact that he grew butterfly wings. That little titbit made Lilynette, Apacci and Mila-Rose crack up in laughter. He mentioned how he used the Dangai to accelerate his training as well as him learning the sacrificial technique that would eventually defeat Aizen, something that made Harribel jolt up in her seat and focus her piercing gaze on Ichigo. He told them how manhandled Aizen and the abomination that their former leader would eventually become. He finally stated that his sacrificial technique was enough to cut Aizen in half, but the Hogyoku still regenerated him and it would have been the end of Ichigo is not for Urahara Kisuke's sealing **Kido** taking effect. He ended his tale by telling them that as his powers were being ripped from his body as a result of his sacrificial technique, for some reason or the other, the Hogyoku noticed his plight and intervened, allowing him to keep his powers before being sealed away.

The Arrancar were looking at him in awe at the end of his tale. His power, bravery and willingness to sacrifice himself earned him the respect and admiration of everyone in the room. None more so then Harribel, who felt something unfamiliar stir within her as she gazed at Ichigo. She was unsure what it was but something had changed within her after hearing that story. She felt her respect rise for Ichigo and felt a sense of kinship with him. For she too shared a similar set of ideals. Nel was looking at Ichigo in pride. She wasn't shocked in the slightest. For she knew that was the kind of person he was. She simply beamed at him in happiness. She frowned a little though, when she thought of something.

"Ichi, I remember you saying earlier that you weren't affiliated with the Gotei 13. I don't understand? I thought that you were friends with them?" She queried.

"I was never really part of the Gotei 13. Like I said before, even though I have the powers of a Shinigami, I don't consider myself one. The only reason I allied with them is because we had a common enemy in Aizen. I wouldn't have cared much about their war had Aizen not kidnapped Orihime and threatened to kill everyone in my town. While it's true that I consider some of the Shinigami to be my friends, even I know that if push came to shove, very few of them, if any, would side with me over the Gotei 13." Nel understood for the most part what he was saying, but didn't understand what he meant by them having to choose sides. "Let me elaborate. Remember I told you that Aizen effortlessly defeated all of the Captains and former Captains with nothing but his Shikai without even getting a scratch on him." Ichigo asked, getting a nod from not only Nel, but the rest of the room who were listening intently. "By the time I faced him in the end, he had undergone at least four transformations thanks to the Hogyoku, bolstering his power exponentially. Now, if you factor in how easily I overpowered him in that state, it tells you that my power is way above any of the Captains. That being said, if I have learned anything about Soul Society, it is that they despise things that are out of their control. Not to mention that they can be a bunch of self-righteous pricks most of the time. Even before I gained all that power, I was never one to follow their silly rules and I always did what I wanted. They didn't complain much because they could have dealt with me if I stepped over any of their imaginary lines. Now that my power is this high, I would be immediately labelled a threat if I don't bow down to their authority. They would have found a way to neutralize me, regardless of me winning their war for them. That's just how it goes in the Soul society. Even in the event that the Captains were to give me a 'pardon' so to speak, their Central 46 would never let me be free. That's why when they believed that I had lost my powers thanks to the technique I used…I didn't correct them. I'm much happier not having anything to do with them anymore." He finished, getting an understanding nod from everyone in the room.

They were all Hollow's and therefore had their own unfortunate experiences with Shinigami. They gained a new perspective though, about the inner workings of the Gotei 13 from Ichigo's explanation. It didn't endear the Shinigami to them in the slightest.

"What about Giant-kun and Glasses-kun? How are they doing?" Nel asked innocently. Ichigo grimaced slightly, something that Nel immediately noticed before he plastered a smile on his face. She could see clearly though, that his smile didn't reach his eyes at all.

"They…We decided to go our separate ways."

Suddenly, everything clicked into place for Nel. Ichigo's openness with them regarding the information they wanted as well as the slight tells that his body gave away.

"Oh Ichi, you…" She whispered sadly, as she gazed at him in sympathy.

Starrk too, surprisingly enough, immediately understood what was happening. He could tell from the empty look in Ichigo's eyes. He realised as well just what Nel had concluded. He understood that look well enough, for he too wore such a similar expression not too long ago. It was the look of a man who understands the pain of loneliness in this cruel world. It was the eyes of a man yearning for companionship, for the deep bonds of friendship. To find people that he could put his complete trust in, knowing they would never let him down. Starrk realised better than anyone, how similar he and Ichigo truly were. They were both extremely powerful warriors. Unfortunately, that very power cost them the one thing that they valued above all others. Fortunately for Starrk, he had found what he had been searching for. It looked like Ichigo was still alone. It was at that moment that he vowed, he would make sure he extended his hand in friendship, if not for anything else than to help out a fellow lonely soul. But from what he has seen of his character thus far, Starrk was positive that Ichigo belonged with them. He would make sure he was accepted with open arms and welcomed in Las Noches whenever he wanted to visit.

Ichigo shook his melancholy off and got to his feet.

"It's a bit late now. It should be just before dawn in the World of The Living so I need to get going. I've got school to go to and a kendo tournament to prepare for. I'm glad I was able to see you again Nel. And yes, you too Pesche and Dondochakka." He added with a chuckle when he saw the two about to protest. He turned to Starrk and Harribel as well as their respective Fracción. "It was a pleasure to meet you all as well. You have my deepest apologies for intruding. Please continue to take care of Nel. I know she can be a bit of a handful, but she's a precious friend of mine." He implored.

"Hey!" Nel shouted in protest before puffing her cheeks out in mock anger. She couldn't keep the blush off her cheeks though when she heard Ichigo refer to her as precious.

"Don't worry Ichigo. She's in good hands." Starrk reassured him, getting surprised looks from the others at his voluntary participation in a conversation. Ichigo though, locked eyes with him. There was a moment that passed before both men nodded. Having both reached an understanding of sorts with each other.

"Promise you'll come and visit again, Ichi." Nel pleaded with a little worry. Ichigo looked a little uncomfortable, not sure how to proceed. He wanted to say yes immediately, but he knew that he was an outsider her.

"I would love to visit again, provided that the Lady of the house agrees." He countered, before switching his gaze to Harribel. The aforementioned woman sat there with her eyes closed and her arms crossed underneath her breasts. She went over everything she heard and she came to a similar conclusion to that of her fellow Espada. Not to mention, Kurosaki Ichigo has proven himself to be a man of great substance and character. She also felt a kinship with him and even though she was hesitant to trust again, the least she could do was give him the benefit of the doubt.

"I have no objections."

Nel squealed in happiness before glomping Harribel, much to the annoyance of the blonde.

"Thank you, Tier!" She gushed as she rubbed her cheek against Harribel's causing their large breasts to mash against each other. It was a view that had all the males shift uncomfortably in their seats and pinch their noses to stem the nosebleed that was imminent.

"Get off me, Nelliel." Harribel demanded with a touch of displeasure in her voice. Nel just pouted cutely at her in return.

Ichigo laughed happily at their antics. Something that Nel, Starrk and Harribel immediately noticed. He looked as if a small weight had been taken off his shoulders.

"Thank you for that, Harribel. And I promise to come visit you soon Nel. I'll see you guys later." Ichigo bid farewell with a grateful smile on his face before opening a Garganta and passing through.

There was silence after Ichigo disappeared into the Garganta.

Nel suddenly turned to Harribel, a serious look on her face, something that the others weren't used to, with the exception of Pesche and Dondochakka.

"Thank you, Tier. It means much more to me, and to Ichigo as well, than you realise."

Harribel just scoffed at her before leaving for her private chambers, her mind working overtime thinking about the strange visitor that came and threw her emotions into turmoil.

Nel just smiled as she watched the blonde walk off, confident in the fact that she too was ensnared by Ichigo's charms. Just as she was sure the rest of the Arrancar were. He just had that quality about him that drew you in and before you knew it…you never wanted to leave his side. She made a vow to herself that she would stick by him always. She would have his back and she would follow him to the depths of Hell if he needed her to. It was with that thought that she happily skipped to her room.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

The Garganta silently opened, depositing Ichigo in the middle of the desert far away from Las Noches. He couldn't take the chance of showing them his other ability yet. It was far more dangerous in his opinion as he didn't need to release his Shikai to use it and it may make them more wary of him.

With nary a thought, the world around him turned red and time was locked in place. He ripped open a Garganta once again before following it to come out in the middle of his bedroom. He looked around to make sure that nobody was around before he released the technique, allowing the world to regain its colour. He looked at the time and saw that it was 3AM. It was too late to sleep now, so he may as well get his day started. He slipped into his human body before grabbing his towel and heading to the shower.

As he let the warm water cascade down on him, he couldn't fight the genuine, heartfelt smile that graced his face at the thought of his new friends. He didn't know it but the gap in his heart, that he didn't even realise was there, was slowly starting to fill up again. The world was looking good for Ichigo once again. He could wait to see what tomorrow brings.

xxxxxxx

 _ **Author Note:**_

 _Wow, the responses that I'm getting for this story are heart-warming. I'm glad so many people have taking a liking to the premise. The ideas just keep flowing and I have to put them down._

 _This chapter was the start of Ichigo's journey in building his allies and establishing his faction so to speak. As usual, there are a few things I want to address in this chapter._

 _ **Mugetsu**_ _: I finally gave you a glimpse of Mugetsu's Shikai in this chapter as well as one of her abilities. Now, for those of you that immediately thought 'Hey! That's a lot like Orihime's ability'…the answer to that is…exactly! That was exactly what I was going for! Please allow me to explain._

 _Orihime's ability has been establish for a long time now as being in the realm of 'godly'. I won't even hesitate to say that she has the most dangerous ability in Bleach. The thing about it though, is that the explanations we have for its origins are very vague. I remember Urahara Kisuke stating that Ichigo's overflowing reiatsu resonated with the souls of Orihime and Chad, allowing them to awaken their abilities. And that is the explanation I'm going with._

 _I'm working under the premise that Ichigo's reiatsu imprinted upon Orihime's and Chads soul, allowing them to awaken abilities that are influenced by him. Similar to a Zanpakutō, which if I remember correctly, Nimaiya stated that Asauchi are created by artificially piling up souls. Therefore, I'm theorising that if a soul is powerful enough, than it can act in a manner similar to an Asauchi…which is what happened with Chad and Orihime. To me, Chad's_ _ **El Directo**_ _is ridiculously similar to Ichigo's_ _ **Getsuga Tenshou**_ _. Which to me, was the result of Ichigo's soul influencing Chad._

 _Therefore, in the same way…Orihime's powers are the result of her soul being influenced by Ichigo's soul…which in this story, gave her a set of abilities that came close to what his true powers are. They are similar of course, but not the same. Where Orihime has the power to 'reject', Ichigo is literally reversing time in a designated area. His ability is similar to what Ulquiorra initially theorised Orihime's ability to be. I hope that made sense to you guys._

 _Now, if you haven't already guessed it, his Shikai sword is the same as the one as his Bankai after it was influenced by his Fullbring. It was too cool of a sword for me not to use it._

 _There a few more abilities that Mugetsu's has that you will see later on…but I would like to point out right now that almost all of them are support abilities. To me, Ichigo has all the firepower he can ever need. Mugetsu's job is to supplement those abilities. And she does it to devastating effect. Even the premise for his Bankai that I'm working on is just one simple ability. Nothing flashy or awe-inspiring…just one simple ability that to me will be a complete game changer. It is also the perfect counter to Yhwach's 'Almighty'. Feel free to guess what it is. I'll PM you if you are correct._

 _ **Ichigo's emotions**_ _: As you may have noticed, Ichigo was a lot more passive and subdued in this chapter. I did this for a reason. I wanted to show that even though he is an all-powerful transcendent being…Ichigo is still a teenager. He too has things that he can't overcome with pure power alone. I already foreshadowed it in the last two chapters, but him being on the outs with his friends have affected him much more than he let on. Ichigo, by nature, is a protector. He is at his strongest when he is surrounded by those he cares about. Even though he has Yuzu and Karin, whom he loves deeply and would do anything for, they aren't yet ready to share the burdens that he carries. He needs peers of his own. Those he can call his friends, his comrades, his brothers-in-arms. People he can speak freely to about all aspects of his life. People with whom he can share his power and his happiness with. That's what I wanted to portray here and what I wanted you to understand. This is why he values Nel so highly. It was also why he was so open with them about the events surrounding the end of the war. He was subconsciously hoping to establish a base of trust and friendship. And this is also the reason why the Arrancar mentioned in this chapter will be so important to the future events of the story._

 _ **The Combat Pass**_ _: 1999 mentioned it in his review, and it honestly never occurred to me that Ichigo could see the Combat Pass after losing his powers even though only spiritually aware people were able to see it. How did he not realise that him being able to see it means that he still has his reiatsu? Is it a continuity error or is there some explanation for it? Please let as curious folk know._

 _ **Fullbringers**_ _: The next chapter will deal with the Fullbringers. I was honestly just planning on killing them and being done with it, but there are a few things that Ichigo is going to take from them (insert evil laugh). From what I've already outlined, Ichigo will show his manipulative side next chapter and maybe come off as a little cruel. Think of it as the first look at the dark side of him that he's already embraced a few chapters ago._

 _I don't care much for the Fullbringers but even I would admit that I love Riruka's character. I'm unsure as to what to do with her though. Do I let her disappear into the world or should she join Ichigo's faction? Let me know what you guys think._

 _TheAllSeeingWolf-195 posed the question about whether I plan on Ichigo awakening his Fullbring. To be honest, I never planned that, as to me, his Fullbring doesn't offer anything that he doesn't already have. I mean sure, the armour is pretty badass…but in this story Ichigo has extremely tough_ _ **Hierro**_ _not to mention_ _ **Blut Vene**_ _for added defence. So it makes the armour kind of redundant. The problem with his Fullbring for me was that they didn't allow him to fully display its abilities, whatever they may have been. So unless I've misinterpreted the nature of his abilities, I won't be using his Fullbring here. If you can give me some solid suggestions though, about unique ways in which I can incorporate it into his arsenal…then I would be more than happy to take it into consideration._

 _That's it for this chapter. I do have a question though, if any of you are kind enough to answer it as I have no idea whether our favourite blonde Espada's first name is Tier or is it Harribel? I'm confused. Please can someone clarify?_

 _Also…since Arrancar have Zanpakutō…if they were to kill other Hollow's…are those Hollow's purified just as they would have been if they were killed by a Shinigami?_

 _Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read this, look forward to ore in the future._

 _Lionheart021 out!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All right to the Bleach franchise are monopolised by that magnificent asshole, Tite Kubo.**

"Talking **"**

'Thoughts **'**

 **[Mugetsu talking]**

" **Attack Names"**

 **xxxxxxx  
**

**Chapter 5: Taking Out the Trash**

Currently sitting at his workstation, Ichigo was silently completing the day's homework. It's been three days since his visit to Hueco Mundo, and those who kept a close enough eye on him noticed the subtle differences in his attitude. He seemed to be more relaxed and his smiles were a lot more genuine. His sisters were thankful to see their brother a lot more stress-free. They had noticed the problem he was having before but were unsure how to go about helping him, which is why they were glad to see the issue seemingly sorting itself out.

Today Ichigo spent his first day back at school, having spent the last two days since his return from Hueco Mundo in Kyoto, participating in the National Kendo Championship. Needless to say, he absolutely swept his age division and is now the proud owner of the Under-17 kendo champion title. While he was happy with his achievement, it was annoying to come back only to be flooded by a backlog of homework. Miss Ochi cut him no slack as she demanded he catch up. Now that he was in the Top 5 of the school, she seemed to hold him at a very high standard and expected excellence from him. Not that he minded, it was just a bit tedious to weigh through all the content.

While he robotically worked through his homework, his mind was plagued by other issues. He noticed it as soon as he got back home. There was a residual reiatsu lingering just outside his home. There wasn't much, but just enough for his sharp senses to pick up on. It was unfamiliar, it didn't feel much like a Hollow, Shinigami or a Quincy. That being said, there was a bit of a Hollow taint, but it wasn't a Hollow. He spoke to Yuzu and Karin, who possessed high sensory abilities as well, about what they had gathered from the situation. They informed him that they noticed a man with black pants and shoes, a white shirt with black suspenders and long black hair hanging around them. They discreetly noticed him walking on the telephone lines, spying on them. They also mentioned that he seemed to carry a small notebook with him everywhere. Ichigo had to use every ounce of his training to control the pure, unadulterated rage that he felt at the gall of this man to stalk his precious little sisters.

Still, from the sensation of his reiatsu that they described to him, it was similar to what he had already sensed. It was safe to say that he was involved in the spiritual world. Apparently, he didn't seem to be interested in making a move on them and was more likely doing a reconnaissance mission. Not that it excused him in Ichigo's book. Either he was targeting Yuzu or Karin, or more likely trying to figure out how to use them against him. The latter was more likely as Yuzu and Karin were unaware of the spiritual world as far as anyone else was concerned. That just worsened his already foul mood.

He stretched his senses to cover as much ground as he could and followed the residual signature, noticing that it left Karakura Town and entered the neighbouring Naruki City. It suddenly clicked in place for him. He remembered the above average reiatsu signatures contained within that city.

As his pen fluidly danced across the page, his mind was going over possible scenarios. He had planned on leaving those people to their own devices, as it wasn't his business what they did. It wasn't a crime to have large amounts of reiryoku, regardless of whatever propaganda the Soul Society pushed. Therefore it wasn't his place to judge them. Now though, all bets were off the table. They had knowingly encroached on his territory. If they were spying on him, he wouldn't even mind that much as they certainly wouldn't be the first people to do so. They crossed the line however, when they dared to turn their attention to his sisters. He decided that he would pay them a visit later to night. A proper attitude adjustment is in order. While he was normally against killing, if these people posed enough of a threat to his family then…well…he would harden his heart and do what needs to be done. He finished that thought with a flourish of his pen as he completed his work.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

It was just before midnight when the world turned red in Ichigo's room. His human body already strategically placed on the bed as he vanished in a blur of **Shunpo** , blitzing towards Naruki City. His face was emotionless as he razor-focused his mind.

It took him less than a minute but he eventually found himself outside a relatively high-end set of apartment buildings. He could sense the signature of the one that was stalking his sisters within along with five other signatures. One of them stood head and shoulders above the rest though. If Ichigo were to make an estimate, it would be on the level of one of the lower tier Captains.

He slipped in through the opened window and beheld the frozen scene before him. There was an older gentleman with an eye-patch who seemed to be tending the bar. There was a younger looking boy along with a girl around his age as well as an older looking woman. He also spotted his would-be-stalker from the descriptions offered by Yuzu and Karin. He turned to the final occupant of the room and spotted a bulky looking man, probably in his early thirties, sitting comfortably on a leather couch. His attention was drawn by Mugetsu who immediately recognised the man.

 **[Ichigo-sama, I'm familiar with this man thanks to Kyoka Suigetsu's memories. This is the former Substitute Shinigami, Kugo Ginjo. He was the first one, before you. However, unlike you, he didn't possess abilities of his own and was reliant on the power that was injected into him. As such, his power would have eventually faded. However, he became drunk on his power and started forcefully draining the reiryoku of other Shinigami to bolster his own. He was eventually labelled as a criminal and a high priority target for the Soul Society. He is the reason why it is prohibited for Shinigami to transfer their powers to a human]**. Mugetsu informed him.

Now that caught his attention. It seemed that it ran deeper than he realised. This Kugo Ginjo was obviously after him for some reason, given their positions as former Substitute Shinigami. He would refrain from simply killing them for the moment, curious as to their agenda. He was going to let the scene play out and see what he could gather from it. That didn't mean he was giving them a pardon though, oh no, they were going to regret ever turning his attention to them.

" **Bakudo** **#26: Kyakko"**

Ichigo whispered, before vanishing. **Kyakko** (Curving Light) is a spell that conceals the user in a curtain of camouflage by bending the light around them. Just because they couldn't sense his reiatsu didn't mean they couldn't see him. There weren't many hiding places in the room so he settled for using **Kyakko**. He slipped out of his personal dimension, allowing the world to regain its colour and time to flow naturally once again.

He stayed silent as he followed the conversations in the room. The bartender was a man named Giriko. The young boy who seemed to be engrossed in his hand-held video game was called Yukio. The young girl with magenta coloured hair was called Riruka. The older, dark-skinned woman was named Jackie. And finally, the stalker asshole who seemed to be coolly reading the same fucking page for the last hour or so was named Tsukishima.

From what Ichigo gathered, they were an organisation called Xcution. Pretty lame in Ichigo's opinion. He hypothesised that Ginjo was probably suffering from chuunibyou syndrome. They referred to themselves as Fullbringers, it was also the name for their unique abilities. From what Ichigo pieced together, their abilities were similar to Chad's, in the way that regular humans were able to manifest supernatural abilities.

That wasn't the only thing he picked up though. Mr. Chuunibyou himself questioned the stalker prick, Tsukishima, about the progress of his mission in monitoring the Kurosaki household. Apparently they had plans in store for Ichigo and wanted to know the usefulness his sisters could provide in implementing those plans.

Ichigo, at hearing this, erased all emotions from his face. He had heard enough. These people were threating his family and they needed to be re-educated in the points of authority. He would teach them the errors of their way. Not before he bled them dry of their usefulness though. He picked up two things of interest that immediately made his eyes glint. One was that the little bastard playing the video game was apparently loaded. The other was that the stalker prick had the ability to effect the memories of his targets, something he planned on using on Yuzu and Karin, thus sealing his fate.

In a rapid fire chain of casting, each Fullbringer was trapped within six beams of light. The exception being Ginjo who shot to his feet, immediately recognising the **Kido** being used. He was too late however as he too was caught in the trap. They all heard a smooth voice echo throughout the room.

" **Bakudo #61: Rikujōkōrō"**

Ginjo was immediately trapped within the six prisms of light. He flexed his reiatsu in attempt to break free, but the construct was far too powerful for someone of his level to break.

" **Bakudo #63: Sajo Sabaku"**

Ropes of light burst out of the corner of the room, further ensnaring him and ensuring his captivity. Ginjo was frantically swiveling his head trying to get a view of the intruder, ignoring the pleas of help from the rest of the Xcution members. They were all panicking, trying desperately to free themselves from the spell but it was too high level for them to even budge. Since most of their abilities needed the use of their hands or feet to activate, they were currently powerless. They saw the panic on Ginjo's face and realised the kind of danger they were in if even the strongest of them was caught. Fear started to settle in. They were defenseless and caught unaware in their own base and were now currently at the mercy of whatever enemy infiltrated their hideout. In none of the scenarios that played out in their minds did this end well for them.

The attention of the occupants of the room were drawn by the sound of something being stripped away. They look to the corner of the room to see a curtain of light being stripped away to reveal Kurosaki Ichigo in all his glory.

"Wha!" Ginjo choked on his saliva, unable to comprehend what the fuck was happening.

"Ara…you seem to be a bit confused, Ginjo-kun. Don't worry, just take a seat and everything will be explained to you." Ichigo advised with a friendly smile on his face, his voice was soothing and comforting…subconsciously bringing a sense of reassurance to the Fullbringers. Whereas previously they were shit scared, they were now feeling that it wasn't as bad it may have been since Ichigo seemed like a pretty nice guy. Not to mention, from the information they were given about him, he was the 'hero' type. He wouldn't ever hurt them. If they played it right, they could talk him into freeing them by giving him some important information…by which point Tsukishima's ability would bring him under their control so he could fulfill his use to them. It was a similar conclusion that ran through all the minds of the Fullbringers as they discreetly nodded to each other. It was these thoughts that allowed them to drop their guard a little and have hope that they would get out of this.

Which was unfortunate for them.

Ichigo stopped at the table and poured himself a hot cup of tea, ignoring the rising tension of the room. After his cup was filled he calmly walked to the single seat leather couch and took a seat, putting him in full view of the restrained Fullbringers that were in front of him. He took a soft sip of his hot tea before looking quizzically at Ginjo.

"I thought I asked you to take a seat, Ginjo-kun. Do you not want to?" Ichigo questioned, much to the irritation of Ginjo who had to do his best to quell his natural reaction due to the unfavourable circumstances he found himself in. Instead, he plastered on a fake smile.

"As you can see, I'm a bit incapacitated at the moment. Perhaps if you release our bindings, we can take a seat."

Ichigo looked to actually consider that suggestion before he shot him down.

"No, that's okay. You can just stand there in that case."

Ginjo gritted his teeth in frustration, wanting so badly to take a swing at the brat in front of him with his sword. He made eye contact with Tsukishima, hoping the man had found some way to get out of this…but he was met with a disappointing shake of the head.

"Now that's we're all comfortably settled in, I'd like to address a few issues we seem to have." Ichigo stated, earning himself plenty of glares from his obviously mocking statement. "You see, I was minding my own business…happily going on with my life when what do you know…some filthy pervert starts stalking my sisters. Now I'm not one to judge people's unique sexual fetishes, but when the intent is aimed at my sisters…well…I get a bit trigger happy. Now, if you would be so kind as to explain why you were staking out my house."

Ginjo smirked mockingly at him.

"I'm sure you don't know who we are. Let me tell you now that we are spiritu-"

"No, I know who you people are. I sensed your reiatsu in this town a few months ago. It's just that I made the conscious decision to ignore you. What you people did wasn't any of my business. Unfortunately, you decided to make it my business by endangering my family. So I'm going to ask you again. What were you hoping to achieve?" Ichigo cut Ginjo off before explaining the situation to him. His smile was still friendly, but the way his eyes darkened made some of the others shift uncomfortably.

Seeing the stubborn looks he was receiving caused Ichigo to sigh in resignation.

"I see. It seems as though we will have to do this the hard way." Ichigo said emotionlessly causing a few spines to chill in fear.

"Hahaha! What are you going to do, Kurosaki?! Torture us? Ha! I don't know how you got your powers back but it doesn't matter. I know enough about you to know the kind of person you are! You aren't going to do a damn thing to us! You're too noble for that. So why don't you drop the act and free us and maybe we'll forget about your little misdemeanor." Ginjo mocked with a sneer on his face, confident in his safety. Riruka looked at him like he had lost his mind for taunting the person who they were obviously at the mercy of.

"You are right in a way. I'm normally not one to engage in something as distasteful as torture. I used to have this unfortunate tendency to try and see the best in people, even if they were trash. But you made a grave mistake. I'm not as noble as you seem to think I am. The only thing I care about in this world is protecting my friends and my family. As long as they are safe, the world could burn for all I care. Unfortunately for you, by targeting my sisters, even if it was just to spy on them…you painted a large red target on your backs. My morals are much more flexible these days. And while I take no enjoyment in what I'm about to do, I will do it anyway. Because that's the kind of person I am." Ichigo intoned softly, his voice reaching all the ears in the room. A few stomachs sank in terror at his word.

"Stop bluffing boy! This has gone on-"

" **Hado #1:** **Shō"**

Ichigo said before a force hit Ginjo on the top left corner of his torso. The sound of bones cracking and joints popping echoed throughout the shocked silent room as Ginjo's collar bone was broken and his shoulder popped out of its socket.

Normally **Shō** is used to simply push the target away from the caster. However, Ichigo modified it a bit to concentrate its area of effect to a smaller radius…allowing it to do more concussive and targeted damage. That, coupled with the fact that he was locked in place by two sixties level Bakudo, ensured an extremely painful experience for Ginjo.

"AHHHH!"

Ginjo's pain filled screams reverberated around the room. Unfortunately for the Fullbringers, they had soundproofed their headquarters so nobody would be able to hear their pleas for help.

The rest of them looked on in horrified rapture, unable to look away from their leader's shoulder being almost torn out of its socket.

"Now that we have established my willingness to maim you…perhaps your tongues have loosened to an extent. Well? Anyone up to answering my original question?" Ichigo inquired politely.

"You bastard! How dare you!" Tsukishima roared at him, spittle flying out of his mouth. He was incensed at the sight of his savior being harmed in such a way.

"Oh? You seem to have some emotional attachment to Ginjo-kun here. Perhaps you should tell me what I want to know before I decide to give his other shoulder the same treatment." Ichigo advised with a reassuring smile.

"Fuck you, Kurosaki!" Ginjo spat, a glob of blood escaping his lips.

Ichigo just sighed and shook his head at the stubbornness being displayed. He raised his hand and pointed his finger at Ginjo's right shoulder, causing the man's eyes to widen in fear.

"NO!" Tsukishima protested impotently, but it was all for naught.

" **Hado #1: Shō"**

"AAAARGH!"

The sight of Ginjo's other shoulder being mutilated once again was too much for the likes of Yukio and Riruka, who emptied the contents of their stomachs on themselves. Jackie and Giriko looked away, grimacing at the unpleasant sight. Tsukishima had a few tears in his eyes as he witnessed the man who gave him so much being tortured.

"Well, does anyone feel like talking now?" He inquired once again.

"N-No…cough…d-don't tell him a-anything." Ginjo feebly ordered, blood smeared all over his face as he desperately tried to ignore the pain.

"I must say, I'm impressed. You're much more durable than I give you credit for." Ichigo praised genuinely as he clapped his hands. To the ears of the terrified Fullbringers though, it felt like nothing but a mocking gesture. The reality of their situation was finally settling in and with it, the terror inducing thought that they could very well die at the hands of the monster currently preying on them. The analogy about a sleeping dragon was never more appropriate to them then it was now. "Now, I can continue trying to 'persuade' you, Ginjo-kun. But you are obviously the strongest person in your little clique. That being said, it occurred to me that I don't need you to tell me anything. For there is always a weak link you every chain. Your pain threshold is surprisingly high, I wonder if the same could be said about Yukio-kun over there." Ichigo explained as he turned his bored eyes to the now frightfully trembling Yukio.

"No! Please! Don't hurt me!" Yukio begged pitifully, tears running down his face.

"Yukio! I'm warning you, don't you dare say a damn thing!" Tsukishima shouted at the boy, taking over the reins of leadership while Ginjo tried to pull himself together. He was still deeply shaken by what he saw happen to his leader but he would follow through with the order he was given.

"Ara ara, it seems your leaders are expecting you to endure some painful torture for their sake Yukio-kun. I must say, this little club must have some amazing benefits if they expect you to go that far for them. I'm honestly a bit hurt that I never got invited to play." Ichigo frowned playfully as he stared straight into Yukio's terror induced eyes, the scent of Ginjo's blood and the pressure of the situation slowly suffocating the boy. "Well, let's find out if you're as durable as Ginjo-kun."

"No! Wait! Please…I'll tell you! Please…just…" Yukio whimpered.

"Yukio, you little shit! You better keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you!" Tsukishima threatened.

"I'm not sure if you realise the situation you currently find yourselves in…but you aren't in any position to make threats. Trust me when I say that there is nothing you can conjure up that will compare to what I will do to you if I don't get the answers are want as to why you people are targeting my family." Ichigo warned Tsukishima, who put up a stubborn front. The slight trembling of his body though, gave him away. "I've been pretty lenient on you lot thus far. Don't make me resort to lopping off your limbs. Just tell me what I want to know and we can all get on with our lives." There was a collective gulp from the Fullbringers, noticing the sincerity of his words to carry out his threat as well as the unshakeable conviction in his eyes.

They may have been many things, but they weren't warriors. They were just a collection of above average spiritually aware humans who were lucky, or unlucky depending on your perspective, to have awakened a special power. Thus far, they have never met any resistance. They have never encountered and enemy that they couldn't overcome. And even if they did, Ginjo was at least at the level of a Captain and would always deal with the situation. Therefore they have never experienced a battle of life and death. They have never been in a situation where they were forced to face their own mortality. Until now that is. The ever reliable Ginjo was reduced to a bloody, whimpering mess. They were all immobilised and at the mercy of their enemy who has thus far shown absolutely no hesitation to mutilate them. It was the first time that they were faced with the consequences of their actions. They were facing the cost of being too drunk on their power and too secure in their own little bubble. Seeing the steely red eyes of their would-be executioner was enough to break the will of the more vulnerable members.

"We wanted your p-power." Riruka spoke up, unable to handle the situation they were in any longer, drawing the eyes of everyone in the room.

"Riruka! Shut your mouAHHHHHH!" Tsukishima warned before screamed in agony as his knee exploded in a shower of blood.

" **Hado 4#: Byakurai"**

Tsukishima was forced to stay on his feet by the **Rikujōkōrō** holding him up even though the **Byakurai** sent by Ichigo blew his knew out his knee…further compounding his torment. Ichigo just looked on with dispassionate eyes as the man whimpered and struggled to stem the agony he was feeling. The others cringed at the scene.

"It was rude of you to interrupt a young woman who clearly has something to say. Didn't anyone ever teach you any manners?" Ichigo chided Tsukishima, like a parent scolding a child, before turning to Riruka with a warm smile on his face, making the poor girls heart race even though she was absolutely terrified of being killed by him. She cursed herself and her stupid hormones for picking this very moment to act up. "Now, you had something to say, Oujo-san?"

Riruka nodded shakily, before launching into the tale of what Ginjo had planned for Ichigo in a few months. From how he planned to push suspicion on Urahara Kisuke and Kurosaki Isshin, to how he planned to use Hollow bait to endanger one of his sisters to force him to seek them out after which they would help him awaken his Fullbring. She also told him of Tsukishima's role in the plan and how his powers were meant to turn Ichigo's family and friends against him before Ginjo would eventually betray him, stealing his Fullbring for himself and eventually sharing it with the rest of them. She also spoke of Ginjo's intention of shattering his resolve by revealing the purpose of the Combat Pass that was given to him.

The room was silent as Ichigo digested the information. The Fullbringers were smart enough to realise that they didn't come out good in that story. If anything, it may make him want to hurt them even more. They were fearing for their lives even more right now.

Unexpectedly though, Ichigo didn't rage about what he heard. He sat there calmly taking it all in, before closing his eyes…seemingly deep in thought.

"I see." He finally said. The tense silence was becoming stifling for the Fullbringers, as they stood there with no choice but to await the judgment of what was probably their executioner. Surprisingly enough, he didn't seem to care much about their plan, if his next question was any indicator. "I actually have two questions regarding that. Firstly, this is quite an expensive building. I'm not expecting that worthless degenerate, Ginjo, to actually have a steady job. So which one of you is responsible for paying for it?" He asked, even though he already knew the answer. He needed a 'control' question though as it was his second question that was the most important.

His question was met with baffled looks. They were expecting anger and rage along with bodily harm being done to them after hearing what they had planned for him. But all he cared about was how they financed their operations? It made no sense. But they wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Maybe they could by their lenience…at least until they can come up with a way to make their problem go away.

"Um…it's thanks to Yukio. He's an orphan who parents left him a vast fortune to inherit…so he has a lot of money to invest." Riruka answered tentatively. The grin that appeared on Ichigo's face scared the living daylights out of her. It was reminiscent of the grin that his Hollow would often give.

"Does he now?" Ichigo whispered before settling his predatory gaze upon Yukio who shuddered in fear, something that was become a reflex reaction to Ichigo's presence. "That answers my first question. Next…you spoke of how Ginjo planned to steal my Fullbring…how did he plan to do that?"

Riruka looked confused at his strange question once again, only this time she didn't have an answer to him.

"Errm…I'm not really sure. I think Ginjo is the only one that knows." She replied, feeling a little more comfortable when Ichigo's gaze moved away from her.

"Well, it seems like we're back to you Ginjo-kun. Would you care to enlighten me as to how you were planning on stealing this supposed Fullbring of mine?"

Ginjo, who was wheezing painfully…still feeling the effects of the damage done to him earlier and fighting the urge to scream out in pain…spat a glob of blood on the floor at Ichigo's feet in an act of defiance.

With a sigh, Ichigo got off his seat and languidly walked over to Ginjo, causing the man to tense in apprehension. That turned to confusion when Ichigo's hand glowed green, signifying the use of **Kaidō** , and began to heal the damage done to him. After he was done, Ichigo walked back to his sat and plopped down on it.

"Do you feel like talking now?" Ichigo asked.

"What? Hahaha…you think healing the damage you did was going to make me feel thankful enough to tell you. Ha! You're even more naïve than I thought." Ginjo taunted, clearly not remembering what Ichigo was prepared to do to him.

"That wasn't the reason that I healed you." Ichigo replied with a bemused look on his face as he stared at Ginjo. "From what I can gather, you are the big boss of this operation…with the creepy stalker as your second in command. He seems to know just as much as you do and he holds you in extremely high regard. I have no doubt that he is aware of the method that you use to be able to steal Fullbring. Now, I can try to torture it out of him, but he seems to be the kind who would be willing to die before selling you out. An admirable trait to have."

" **Hado #1: Shō"**

Ginjo's horrified scream sounded out once again as Ichigo gave his left shoulder the same treatment as before.

"But I wonder how long he can hold out as he watches me inflict these tortures upon you. As I showed you earlier, I have the ability heal you. I didn't do it to get your gratitude. I did it to prove a point. No matter what I do to you, I can easily reverse the damage. I have enough reiatsu to do this for days. I will continuously inflict the same punishment on you, before I heal you and then do it again." Ichigo informed him, causing his eyes, and the eyes of the rest of the room to widen in horror. "I wonder which of you will break first and tell me what I want to know."

" **Hado #1: Shō"**

"AAAAARRGGH!"

Tears started to roll down Tsukishima's face as he watched Ginjo howl in pain. He was desperately fighting a war within himself at the moment. There was a part of him that wanted to carry out Ginjo's orders, as he had always done. The other part of him couldn't stand to see his savior being forced to endure the horrific torture that was being inflicted on him. He watched with terrified eyes as Ichigo got up once again to heal Ginjo before taking his seat. As Ichigo raised his finger once again, Tsukishima knew that he couldn't watch this any longer. He couldn't allow Ginjo to endure this pain. He needed to save him. Even if it earned him the ire of Ginjo, he would endure it as long as the man was safe from this beast that was currently terrorising them. He was smart enough to know when they had lost. It was a bitter taste, considering that they lost before the game even started.

"Wait. I'll tell you." He whispered, causing Ichigo to stay his hand and turn his attention to him with an encouraging smile that make Tsukishima sick to his stomach.

"Tsukishima! Don't do it!" Ginjo shouted.

"I'm sorry Ginjo, but I can't watch this any longer." He said before focusing his hate filled eyes on the calmly smiling Ichigo. "It is the same method that a Shinigami uses to transfer their powers to a human, except in reverse. Ginjo would sink his blade into the victim and suck their power into it instead of injecting his power into them. There would be no damage done to the victim as the blade pierces the soul rather than the body. He would then incorporate that power into his own arsenal." Tsukishima explained bitterly.

Ichigo was silent as he internally conversed with Mugetsu, who was stoically watching the proceeding so far.

'Do you think you can do it?' Ichigo questioned his partner, causing her to scoff lightly.

 **[I will pretend that you didn't just imply that you are doubting whether I can accomplish something that the sword of some puny fake-Shinigami can]**. Mugetsu shot back irritably.

'Haha…sorry Mu-chan but just wanted to be sure. You know I would never doubt you.' He placated.

 **[Hmph. As it should be. You just do what needs to be done and I will take it from there. The ability seems to be a bit limited from the way he's been using it so I'll try to adjust it to suit our power without losing the most important parts of it]**. She said.

'Got it.' He replied before turning to Tsukishima.

"Well, I'm glad you made the correct decision. The bonds of loyalty and friendship on show truly is warming to the heart." Ichigo stated before getting up and slowly walking towards Tsukishima. All eyes followed him as he drew his Zanpakutō and came to a stop in front of the man. They all thought that Ichigo was going to kill him, which was proven correct when he sank his blade into Tsukishima's stomach. There were a few distressed cries at the scene. But as the seconds ticked by and no blood was visible, confusion set in. Not for Tsukishima though, as he understood what was happening. He turned his frightened eyes to the smirking Ichigo before screaming in denial as greyish liquid raced up Ichigo's blade from within his stomach that was pierced. The process took only a few seconds before it was done, leaving Tsukishima struggling for breath.

It took a while to understand what was happening, but realisation started to slowly set in for the others who could do nothing but watch, wondering if they were going to be next.

Ichigo closed his eyes after the process was done, taking in the information Mugetsu was currently transferring to him about the intricacies of his new ability and what it can do. Without as much as a warning, his blade glided through the air, 'cutting' Tsukishima from his left shoulder to his right hip. There was no blood though, not even a scratch. After it was done, Ichigo walked back and took his seat.

Tsukishima's eyes widened as he understood what just happened. He desperately searched his memories, trying to figure out where Ichigo inserted himself. He knew it was hard to resist his ability, and even though it may prove futile, he would try his best to fight its effects. After a few minutes though, he found that he couldn't find a hint of Ichigo's presence in his memories apart from those of today. But he knew that the boy did something to him.

"W-What did you do to me?" He questioned Ichigo who was sitting patiently, waiting to see if he would figure it out.

"You know, I'm a bit annoyed right now. As someone who takes their training seriously by pushing my body to its limits and trying my best to get the most out of my abilities…it's people like you that annoy me the most. You have, sorry had, such a devastating ability. The ability to insert yourself into and rewrite people's memories to a certain extent. It's an ability that requires subtle grace and a delicate touch to draw out its full potential. Yet you used it like a sledgehammer. Forcefully inserting yourself into people pasts without rhyme or rhythm, even if it made no sense. You didn't take the time to research your targets behaviour or the details of their past. You never took the time to fully understand the extent of your ability along with its weaknesses. It's kind of pathetic." Ichigo critiqued him mercilessly. "In case you're wondering how I knew how you used your ability…it's because I 'read' your past. That's what that cut did. It showed me your past, your personality, your motivations, your fears, hopes and dreams. It allowed me to see all that to needed to see to judge your character." Tsukishima felt his eyes widen at what he was hearing.

"T-that's not how my ability works!" He shouted in denial.

"Of course it's not…It's how my ability works." Ichigo corrected him. "My Zanpakutō is far greater than anything that your butt-buddy Ginjo could ever conjure up. I didn't just take your Fullbring, I had my Zanpakutō alter it to suit our style. Trust me when I say, she did an amazing job."

"You won't get away with this, Kurosaki!" Ginjo spat, silently seething at his plans falling into ruin around him. Ichigo turned to him with a look of bemusement.

"Of course I am. In fact, you probably won't even remember me by the time I'm done with you." Ichigo retorted, his blade glinting in the artificial lighting of the room as he spoke, allowing the others to understand what was about to happen to them. "You should be thankful to your buddy Tsukishima over there. I was actually planning on killing the lot of you." He stated bluntly, causing a few of them to break out into a cold sweat at the confirmation of what they thought his intentions to be. "But thanks to my new ability, I can rid myself of you nuisances without having to get my hands dirty. Plus, there's a nice reward for me to collect. I'm sure you wouldn't mind depositing a few million yen in my bank account, now would you Yukio-kun? After all, you guys owe me for services rendered." Ichigo teased, brandishing his Zanpakutō, clearly showing the boy that he didn't have a choice in the matter. "Don't fret though, I won't take everything. I'm not greedy you know. You will have enough to live out the rest of your days comfortably. Think of it as compensation for making me come all the way out here to deal with you clowns."

That was all he had left to say to them before he proceeded to cut everyone once…getting an understanding of them…before proceeding to rewrite their memories to suit their experiences and their personalities. He made sure to leave out any trace of himself or the rest of them as he didn't want them to be able to find each other and band up again. He also made sure to insert within them the memory of them having the desire to move out of Naruki City. He knew from the memories he viewed so far that Chad seems to be involved with this lot. He didn't want the big guy associated with them so he made sure they would disappear without a trace. He was careful with the false memories he placed though, not wanting it to lead to any problems for himself or his family in the future. After he was done, he put them to sleep before using **Shunpo** to deposit them to different parts of the city.

Surprisingly though, there was one person who was left out of this process as she watched him go to work on the rest. When he was done and he returned, he focused his gaze on Riruka.

"I'm conflicted as to what to do with you. I can tell you're not a bad person, I don't even need this new ability of mine to see that. You obviously fell in to a bad crowd and by the time you were sucked in it was too late. Despite what you may think, I'm not some heartless monster. I believe in giving second chances to those who deserve it. I can tell from your personality that you aren't the kind to seek retribution nor will you sell me out to anyone. So let me ask you…would you like me to rewrite your memories or will you prefer to be on your way, never to repeat the events of today or of Xcution to anyone else." He asked, looking deeply into her eyes. Said girl couldn't help but blush as she lost herself in his exotic red eyes. The blush on her cheeks made Ichigo raise an eyebrow. He snapped his fingers in front of her face, hoping to get her out of her trance.

"Um…I promise I won't say anything. You have my word." She stuttered out, trying and failing to maintain her tough girl image. Ichigo gave her a warm smile in response, something that made her cheeks heat up even more.

'He's so hot!' She thought traitorously.

"For what it's worth…I'm sorry that this had to happen." Ichigo apologised, earning a bewildered look from the girl.

"You're apologising!? Why?!" She shouted, looking at him like he was crazy. "You had every right. What Ginjo was planning was cruel and was designed to break you in the worst way possible. I didn't agree with it, but he was the boss. If anything, I'm the one who should be apologising." She said, looking ashamed of herself.

Ichigo place a finger beneath her chin and raised her head up to meet his gaze. She got goosebumps at the intimate gesture. Her heart was pounding uncontrollably in her chest as she lost herself in the warmth of his eyes.

"You're a good person, Riruka. It makes me happy to hear you say something like that. Now I'm positive sparing you was the right decision. You are free now. Go on and live your life freely. The possibilities are endless and you need not fear anything anymore. I'm sure you will find the happiness you are so desperately searching for if you continue being the kind and compassionate person that you are." Ichigo advised, staring deeply into her eyes. "This is goodbye, maybe we will meet again someday in the future" He said, before turning on his heels and vanishing in a whisper, leaving no trace of his presence.

Riruka just stared at the spot that he previously occupied.

'Maybe I've already found it.' She thought with a small smile.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

It's only been a few minutes since Ichigo left the Xcution Headquarters and we find the transcendent deep within one of the parks of Naruki City, using a tree as a support as he empties the contents of his stomach into one of the bushes. He's been retching for a few minutes and he finally seems to have nothing left to throw up.

'Oh god! What have I done?! I tortured someone for fuck sake! They were right…I'm a monster!' Ichigo thought furiously as he curled into a ball, gripping his head as he tried desperately to chase away the images that were haunting him.

 **[You are not a monster!]**. Mugetsu shouted in protest.

'How can you say that?! Didn't you see what I did to him?! How are those not the actions of a monster?! I…he was right…if it was me before the war…I would be appalled at the very thought of doing what I just did…w-what is happening to me? What have I become?' He cried desperately, trying to find some vestige of the idealistic, innocent person that he used to be. Mugetsu sighed sadly from within Ichigo's mind. It pained her to see him like this.

 **[You are not a monster, Ichigo-sama. Please don't forget the reason that you did this in the first place. It was for the safety of you sisters…remember?]**.

'Yuzu and Karin…Oh god! How am I ever going to be able to hold them again with these same hands that I used to torture somebody? I don't deserve to embrace them with these blood stained hands of mine.'

 **[I'm disappointed in you]**. Mugetsu scolded, immediately getting his attention. **[I thought I told you not to suppress these negative emotions. I thought we agreed that you would deal with them in a healthy way. Whatever happened to abandoning your fear and looking forward? What happened to the man who was willing to do whatever it took to protect his loved ones? What happened to the man who didn't mind becoming a monster if it meant his sisters were safe? Did you think it would be easy? That you could just beat people up and your problems would be solved? The world is a cruel place, and this may not be the last time you will have to do something like this. You need to come to terms with that if you wish to move forward. You chose to walk this path…it's too late to turn back now. Are you going to continue to snivel pitifully in a puddle of your own vomit or are you going to accept what happened and move on?]**. She challenged him, hoping to at least get a spark from her wielder. They were both silent for a few minutes.

'It's difficult Mugetsu. I…I feel so disgusted with myself right now. I know I said that I would do whatever it took to protect them…but I never realised how painful it is to stay true to that conviction.'

 **[It never is, Ichigo-sama. That's what makes you a great man though. Your strength of character and your determination is what makes you stronger than most. It is natural to feel doubt every now and then, especially for someone as young as you are but don't falter now, in the face of a single hurdle. You need to dig deep within you to find that unbreakable resolve once more. It's also a good thing that you feel the way you do. It proves that you're not a monster. If you had taken some form of enjoyment from the act then I would have said it's too late for you. You need to remember this feeling. This is what makes you 'human'. This is a sign that you are a truly good person. A true monster would have felt no remorse at what he did. Keep in mind the reason for doing what you did. Who knows what could have happened to you sisters or your friends had that man been allowed to carry out his plan. I'm not condoning torture…I'm just trying to make you see that sometimes…you have to get your hands dirty if you truly want to protect what is precious to you. Some people may look at you differently or they may shy away from you…but the people who truly matter, who truly care for you…would welcome you back with open arms…knowing that you are the same kind and caring person that you've always been]**. Mugetsu counselled, making Ichigo think deeply about what you said.

'You really are wise beyond your years, Mu-chan.' Ichigo said, causing her eyebrow to twitch in annoyance, but a small smile to appear on her face, knowing that her wielder is back to his regular state of mind. 'I guess once the adrenaline wore off and my mind was confronted with my actions…I kind of lost it. Haaa…You're right though. I made a promise to protect my sisters by any means necessary. It isn't as easy to put into practice as it is to say it out loud. In my mind, I know what I did was necessary, but my heart is in turmoil. I guess it may take a while to reconcile the two with each other. But I can't afford to dwell on it. I need to move forward. As long as Yuzu and Karin are safe…then that is all that matters. I would like to think that it may become easier in the future, but that thought frightens me. I need to find a way to deal with these feelings though. I need a coping mechanism. I can't afford to lose it every time this happens. I need to be strong. Not just for Yuzu and Karin, but for you too.' He thought. 'I'm sorry for showing you such an unsightly display. I guess I still have a long way to go before I can be the kind of man you envision me to be. But I will say this now. Thank you, Mugetsu…for putting things into perspective for me. You really are the best partner a guy could ever ask for.'

Even though she snorted at his words, there was a warm smile on her face as she sent soothing pulses of her reiatsu to Ichigo. She was happy that he had somewhat come to terms with what he did and is trying to move on.

Ichigo understood that the path he chose to walk would not be an easy one. He couldn't solve all of his problems with power alone. There will be times in the future when his resolve is put to the test. There would be smiles as well as tears. It was up to him to overcome the obstacles that would no doubt block his path. He needed to dig deep within himself and find the courage that he needed to move forward. He had a long road ahead of him and this was just a minor blip on the radar. It would be an important lesson though…one that would teach him the necessity of sometimes doing what needs to be done. Such was the cross to bear for all leaders.

Nothing else need to be said between them as the understanding was reached.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

The next morning saw Ichigo casually walking down the stairs of the Kurosaki household. He let out a yawn, still a bit annoyed at his lack of sleep last night. He paused though, when a delicious aroma assaulted his senses. He stepped into the main area of the house, drawing the attention of Karin and Yuzu, who were sitting at the table and putting the finishing touches on breakfast respectively.

"Good morning, Onii-chan!"

"Morning, Ichi-nii."

Yuzu greeted him enthusiastically with a large smile on her face while Karin gave him her usual casual wave, though she too had a small smile in her face.

Ichigo just froze on the spot, taking in their warm greetings and the happy smiles on their faces. He quickly crossed the room and gathered them both up in his arms, much to their shock.

"Kyaa! O-Onii-chan!"

"Wha! Ichi-nii! What do you think you're doing?!"

Yuzu and Karin reacted to the spontaneous display of affection. Ichigo said absolutely nothing as he simply held onto them, drinking in their presence like a man dying of thirst in a desert who found water. The girls realised that something was wrong and that their brother was obviously experiencing something difficult. They stopped protesting and simply wrapped their smaller arms around him, giving him all the love and comfort they could possibly convey.

And just like that…All was right in the world again for Ichigo.

Last night's doubts and fears were washed away by the torrent of love that he felt for these two. Just seeing them happy this morning was enough to justify his actions. As long as they could continue to greet him this way, then it would all be worth it. He would spill as much blood that he needed to if it meant he could protect their smiles. Maybe he truly is a monster. But if it meant that his sisters were safe and happy…then he would be that monster. He would be the monster who turns his fangs on anyone that dared to threaten his treasure. He understood now, what Mugetsu was telling him last night. Yes, it won't be easy. But for them…there is nothing he won't do. With that…his resolve was strengthened and renewed. He would not look back now. He would keep moving forward. For a brighter future in which his beloved sisters can live as freely as they want to.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

Ichigo nodded in satisfaction as he checked his bank balance at the ATM. The work he did on Yukio really paid off. He had a few millions in his bank account that would ensure that neither he nor his sisters would want for much. That isn't to say they were a poor family, because his father, for all of his many faults, always provided for them and anything that they needed. This, for Ichigo, was 'just-in-case' money. Not to mention, money to spoil his sisters every now and then on their customary weekends out.

He was about to pull out his card and leave, before a thought occurred to him. Well, he had the money to splurge a little now so why not? Those were his thoughts as he withdrew a pretty sum of money and made his way to the mall. He had some shopping to do.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

"I'm so bored!" Lilynette complained as she was lying on the floor of the conference room of Las Noches.

Starrk was sleeping in a small pile of pillows in the corner of the room. The Tres Bestias were once again arguing about something pointless. Pesche and Dondochakka were whispering to each other, obviously up to no good and Nel and Tier were in discussion about the security measures of Las Noches. There was nothing else for her to do, especially now that she didn't have 'Little' Nel to play with anymore.

"I wish Ichigo would visit. Things seem more exciting when he's around." She said to herself.

The discussion in the room suddenly stopped though, as an unfamiliar sound echoed throughout the castle. They all turned to each other before trying to make sense of it. Even Starrk got up from his nap and looked around in confusion.

It was the sound of someone knocking on their door.

It was a foreign and baffling sound to them.

Harribel snapped out of her confusion though as she barked orders.

"Bring up the security screen." She ordered. Pesche nodded before pulling a lever on the wall, allowing a hole to open up in the middle of the table and an image to be projected to them. It was the front gates of Las Noches and there was a familiar figure in front of them.

The figure, sensing that he was being watched, turned to the surveillance device and gave a cheeky wave. Harribel closed her eyes and sighed in exasperation while Starrk cracked an amused smile. Nel and Lilynette where much more boisterous in their reactions.

"Ichi!"

"Ichigo!"

"Dondochakka, go open the door and let him in." Harribel tiredly ordered the large man, already feeling the oncoming headache that the orange-haired enigma was sure to bring.

It took only a few seconds for Ichigo to already be walking through the doors of the conference room, much to the joy of Nel who attacked him with a running glomp.

"Ichi!" She shouted in joy, happily rubbing her cheek against his, much to the annoyance of Harribel. "I missed you. Why didn't you come visit sooner?" She pouted, looking at him with a dangerous glint to her eyes. Ichigo just sweat-dropped at her rapid shift of emotions.

"Sorry Nel. I was a bit busy with a kendo tournament and school. Not to mention there was a minor…annoyance…that needed to be taken care of." He placated, his emotions turning a little darker on the thought of those 'annoyances'…something that Nel picked up on and shot him a worried look. He just gave her a reassuring smile in return, conveying that everything was be okay.

"Hi Ichigo!" Lilynette greeted enthusiastically. Ichigo chuckled at the bubbly girl, patting her head in return.

"Hey Lilynette. How've you been doing?"

"It's been so boring here. There's nothing fun to do, except when you're here." She told him with a look of annoyance on her face.

"Haha…is that so? Well I think I have the solution to your problem." He said cryptically before turning to the rest.

"Hey Starrk."

"Good to see you again, Ichigo." Starrk greeted in return, barely stifling the yawn that escaped his mouth, much to Ichigo's amusement.

"Ladies." He sent a nod to the Tres Bestias, getting a friendly wave from Sung-Sun, a seductive wink from Mila-Rose and a scoff from Apacci. He just shook his head at the contrasting personalities of those three. He finally turned his head to the blonde at the head of the table. "Harribel, it's nice to see you again."

"Kurosaki Ichigo." Even though it was bland and simple, Ichigo took what he could get. With his greetings over, he turned back to Nel, completely ignoring the two clowns in the corner who were posing stupidly, trying to get his attention.

"I wanted to visit sooner, but like I said…I got caught up-" He was cut off by two shouts of protest.

"Oi! Aren't you forgetting someone?! It me! Your best buddy, Pesche!" The pale blonde Arrancar shouted in protest, comically waving his arms around.

"It rude not to greet your best friends, dontcha know!" Dondochakka shouted, sounding like he was about to cry.

Ichigo turned his half-lidded eyes to them.

"Oh? You guys are still here?" He said uninterestedly.

Pesche and Dondochakka huddled together, both shivering uncontrollably.

"Cold. That was so cold." Pesche whimpered.

"That was cruel, dontcha know!" Dondochakka protested, really crying this time.

Ichigo just face palmed while the rest of the Arrancar, minus Harribel, laughed at the little comedy skit.

"Anyway, like I was saying. I wanted to visit earlier, but I got caught up in a few things. I did bring a few presents though. Think of it was a peace offering." Ichigo said with a smirk before he snapped his fingers, making a large stack of boxes suddenly appear behind him.

"Umm…you brought us boxes. Wow…thanks Ichi." Nel said in an unsure tone of voice, trying to sound enthusiastic but failing miserably. Ichigo just looked at her with a dead-pan stare.

"The boxes aren't the gift, Nel. What's inside them are..." He said slowly, like he was speaking to a particularly dim child, making her pout in protest. The sound of one of the boxes being opened drew their attention as they spotted Lilynette opening on of the boxes and pulling out a colourful looking book.

"Wow…what is this?" She asked in wonder, as she saw the various pictures and words the book contained.

"That, my dear Lilynette, is a manga. Think of it as a picture book with different stories of different genres." He explained. "There's a whole lot of manga in there as well as light novels, paperback novels, card games, board games, puzzles and other little knick-knacks meant to be fun." Lilynette looked on with stars in her eyes as she beheld the bounty that Ichigo brought them. The others too, looked on in amazement as the array of different colours and contraptions that were laid out, even the stoic Harribel. "I remember you saying that there wasn't much to do here in Las Noches so I thought I'd bring a few things that people in the World of The Living made to entertain themselves."

"Wow! Thank you, Ichigo! You're the best!" Lilynette gushed as she gave him a fierce hug before breaking off to join the Tres Bestias, Pesche and Dondochakka in excitedly checking out their new merchandise.

"Are you sure this is okay, Ichi? Wouldn't these things cost you a lot of money?" Nel questioned worriedly.

"Haha…normally you would be correct. But let's just say that a generous benefactor decided to sponsor me. Trust me when I say that buying these goodies barely dented my bank account. So there's nothing to worry your pretty little head about." He reassured her with a teasing smile as he patted her head, getting a deep blush from her in response. Not only for calling her pretty but also the intimate way he stroked her hair. Once again, Harribel felt her eyebrow twitch in annoyance. She needed to get to the root of these annoying reactions that she's been having. Ichigo turned his attention to Starrk, who was looking at the boxes in interest as well. "Hey Starrk. You interested in a game of chess?" Ichigo asked with a challenging smirk on his face. Starrk answered him with a challenging smirk of his own before they both went off to a side table and set up their board.

Nel and Harribel looked at each other and shrugged before sifting through the different novels, hoping to find something that caught their attention.

It was much the same for the rest of the day, with shouts of fun and teasing as the once dreary Las Noches became a castle of fun and games for the once bored Arrancar. There was now colour to the once colourless world.

 **xxxxxxx**

 _ **Author Note:**_

 _Wow that was a bit morbid. I honestly didn't intend to write this much about the Fullbringers but I got a little carried away. I initially meant to deal with them in a few paragraphs in the beginning and then get on with things in Las Noches…but they ended up getting an entire chapter._

 _ **Fullbringers**_ _: As you may have noticed, I didn't kill any of them…even though I so…so desperately wanted to. I decided to leave it a bit open ended in case I need them later on. Ginjo though, is definitely going to have his uses later. I never planned for him to die by Ichigo's hands. I have something else in store for him._

 _Giriko and Jackie were kind of irrelevant here as I honestly didn't know what to write about them. Jackie is one of my_ _favourites_ _, not to mention smoking hot, but I just found no uses for her._

 _ **Riruka**_ _: Riruka was left alive, with her memory intact. I did that because I honestly feel that she was the most redeemable character from the Fullbringers. She was also the only one that actually won her fight in that arc. I don't care what anyone says…she had Rukia effortlessly beaten and could have easily killed her. But in the end, her kindness shone through. She's also a real quirky character who I can have a lot of fun with. Ichigo's interaction with her just sort of happened and I decided to just go with it. She isn't considered for the pairing yet, but we'll see how it goes. I'm my mind though I can see her being to Ichigo, what Juvia is to Gray. That crazy, possessive stalker who follows him around and peeks at him from behind light poles…which actually happened in canon! I can seriously picture her showing up at the Kurosaki household on a maid outfit, saying that Ichigo's needs to take responsibility for what he's done to her…hehe…and then hijinks would occur between her and Ichigo's sisters just as GreekfanFT pointed out in his review. That's just something in the back of my mind though and will mostly be a side-story kind of thing if you guys like enough for me to put it in there._

 _ **Ichigo's actions**_ _: Like I said in the last chapter, I would show you the darker side of Ichigo in this chapter. It isn't as bad as compared to the kind of violence that is in my other stories, but it was still pretty gruesome for the Bleach universe. I wanted to show you the different facets of Ichigo as well as letting his 'humanity' shine through._

 _It was getting a bit too heavy though, so I threw in some fluffy scenes at the end with his sisters and the Arrancar._

 _ **Tsukishima's Fullbring**_ _: This was something that will be very important to the story. I had always planned for him to take this power from the very beginning as many of my plot point's hinge on its use. I did add a little twist to it though in giving him not just the ability to rewrite memories, which was the original use of the ability, but to also 'read' the past of an individual. This ties in to the space-time theme of his abilities as well as the ability that canon Ichigo said he had…the one where he can read to motivation of those he crosses blades with._

 _For those of you that are up to date with the manga…you will probably be able to see what I'm doing with Ichigo and where he's actually going with the skill-set that I'm building for him._

 _Also for those that are wondering about the time frame…it's currently ten months after the Winter War. There is still about 8-9 months until the first offensive by the Wandenreich. It doesn't mean that there won't be small skirmishes behind the scenes that prelude to the war._

 _Anyway, that's enough for today. I have a funeral to go to later so there might not be any more updates for a few days. I also need to concentrate on trying to update my other stories. Thanks for taking the time to read this chapter and look forward to more in the future._

 _Lionheart021 out!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All right to the Bleach franchise are monopolised by that magnificent asshole, Tite Kubo.**

"Talking **"**

'Thoughts **'**

 **[Mugetsu talking]**

" **Attack Names"**

 **xxxxxxx**

 **Chapter 6: Prelude to War**

It's been a relatively peaceful five months for Ichigo since his encounter with the Fullbringers and things have been going well for him. He had a long time to think about what he had done that night. It was something that he looked back on in shame. Not that he regretted removing the Fullbringers from the equation. It was more the way he went about it that disappointed him. He realised that he went too far and that he was so caught up in his anger that he crossed the line. It was something that was hard to reconcile with himself. He knows that he has issues and that he needs to find a healthy way to deal with them. It also put into perspective how easy it is for him to get lost within his power and the power he had over others. It took a lot of counselling from Mugetsu to understand that having this much power wasn't wrong…it was how he chose to use that power that decided it. At the end of the day, that's what it is all about. Choice. It made him realise that he isn't the same teenager who could bust into Soul Society, sword swinging, and do whatever he wanted. He was a lot more powerful now hence a much larger target was painted on his back. Not to mention…right now…he had the power to tip the balance. His choices may very well decide the outcome of wars. His choices could decide the direction of the world. It was a sobering thought to know that you had the power to change the world. Normally, it wouldn't have bothered Ichigo, but after what happened when he lost it with the Fullbringers…Ichigo was scared. He was afraid that he would become drunk on his power. Afraid that he would make the wrong choices. But most importantly…afraid that he would end up becoming somebody like Aizen.

He spent a lot of time thinking over five months. He had a lot of time to put things into perspective. He was thankful for the advice and encouragement that Mugetsu offered him. She truly was his rock when he felt like he was being swept away by the current of life. He never told his sisters what happened that night, for he was too ashamed. He knew they wouldn't hold it against him…but he was selfish in that he didn't want his sisters to know that he had such large character flaws. He didn't want them to stop looking at him the way they did. Again, it was selfish of him but he felt that it was okay to be a little selfish sometimes.

The most important thing that happened though, and the thing that really made him feel like he was on the right path once again…were his friendships with the Arrancar

His relationship with the Arrancar has deepened greatly since their first meeting and he has become quite protective of them. For him, it's his personal slice of paradise. His getaway from the mundane world where he can just kick back and let himself go. Something that allows him to anchor himself. They welcomed him with open arms and made him feel at home. Not once did they care about him not being an Arrancar or think of him as an outsider. No…he was their friend.

None of them were closer to him then Nel, of course, and even Ichigo would admit that he had a soft spot for the green haired Arrancar. All she needed to do was pout cutely or give him the puppy-dog-eyes and he would cave in to her demands. Not that he would ever complain about that. He valued his bond with Nel and was thankful for everything she had done for him.

Surprisingly, it was the duo of Starrk and Lilynette that were closest to him after Nel. In Starrk, Ichigo found a guy friend and one with the same motivations that he has. They were both protectors by nature and loners due to circumstances out of their control. They quickly bonded over their kinship and forged a solid friendship and understanding with one another.

Lilynette was someone that Ichigo viewed as his third sister. She was cute, bubbly, friendly and always ready to pull some pranks on the rest of the Arrancar. Something that Ichigo had no problem helping her with, provided that he was never implicated. Their favourite targets were the Tres Bestias…those girls were just too easy to rile up. She was always ready to greet him with a hug and a smile, endearing herself to Ichigo and before he knew it, she had wormed her way into his heart.

Harribel, though, was a tougher nut to crack. While she was polite to him, he wouldn't regard her as friendly. She did her best to keep him at arm's length for as much as possible. Their conversations amounted to a neutral greeting here or an odd question there. While he wanted to break down those walls around her he understood, from the titbits that Starrk told him, that she had some serious trust issues since she took Aizen's betrayal particularly hard. He knew though, that he would eventually melt that ice around her heart…he just needed to be patient.

It was these friendships that allowed Ichigo to once again find his way. For he was at his best, when he was surrounded by his friends. The bonds developed with the Arrancar grounded him these last few months and helped him to realise that he needed people in his life, no matter how much of a loner her regarded himself to be, to allow him to hang on to the traits that made him who he was. He is a protector…and they were a part of his anchor. For that, he would forever be thankful.

It was also thanks to his influence that Las Noches had become quite a colourful place over the last few months. Before, it was drab and dreary with not much to do. Now though, there is always something being done. Whether it's the Tres Bestias arguing over a game of Monopoly, which Sung-Sun always wins by egging Apacci and Mila-Rose on and taking advantage of their focus on each other, or its Nel being engrossed in Shoujo Manga and light novels. Pesche and Dondochakka, being the goofballs that they are, started their own little 'underground casino' when Ichigo explained Blackjack and Poker to them and they tried to emulate the Yakuza. Of course they used fake, plastic chips that Ichigo bought and ended up always being taken for all they were worth, which just made their misfortune funnier to the rest. Ichigo had also come to realise that behind his lazy attitude and unkempt demeanour…Starrk was a freaking genius. He was also surprisingly competitive when something caught his interest. When it came to Chess, Battleships, card games or even the speed it takes to solve a Rubik's Cube…Starrk and Ichigo were always competing with each other, trying to one up the other. Their friendly rivalry was also a source of entertainment for the others as well as a good foil for Pesche and Dondochakka's 'bookmaking' operation that, once again, was a complete failure. Of course Lilynette would always be there cheering them both on. She had her own love of Shōnen Jump manga and became fascinated with the different stories being told. She loved to lose herself in the pages of her manga. Harribel, as one might expect, preferred paperback novels. Whether they were action, drama, suspense or even the occasional comedy…she could be found relaxing in their conference room, engrossed in a novel.

The laughter and joy that Ichigo brought to them was something that they would forever be thankful for. He came into their lives and, in a whirlwind of chaos, pulled them in with his kindness, his compassion and his warmth. He brightened up their dreary lives and, though Ichigo was still too slow to realise, they would follow him to the ends of the Earth. In them, he made friends for life and companions that would always have his back. Just as they knew he would have theirs.

They both, Ichigo and the Arrancar, brought a new happiness to the other and they would both hold on to that happiness as best as they could. They would protect it against those that wished to harm them and they would never let anyone take away their newfound way of life.

Ichigo smiled as he looked up at the clouds from his perch on the school roof. It was currently lunch break and he decided to enjoy a bit of time in the solitude that this place offered him. He smiled at the thought of his friends. He wondered what kind of hijinks they were getting up to at this very moment. Probably something unnecessarily over-the-top. He smirked at that thought.

"So this is where you were." A familiar voice called out from behind him. He shifted his eyes and spotted his old friend walking towards him.

"Hey Tatsuki, what's up?" He questioned.

"Not much. I was just looking for you."

"Why? Is there something wrong?"

"Does there have to be something wrong for me to want to talk to my childhood friend?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. He just smiled and shook his head.

"No, no there doesn't. And don't say things like 'childhood friends'. It's embarrassing." He retorted. She just gave him her trademark smirk in response.

"Oh? Is the big bad Ichigo ashamed to be childhood friends with my? Haaa…where did the time go? You used to be such a cute kid. You used to look so adorable when you were crying after I kicked your ass in Karate. Now look at you. You're a grown…overgrown, delinquent" Tatsuki complained with faux sadness, much to Ichigo's annoyance.

"Firstly, do you know how creepy it sounds when you say that? Did you enjoy my tears that much? You know that it makes you sound like some sadist, right?" Ichigo pointed out, causing her to huff at him and cross her arms. "Secondly, and most importantly…I'm not a delinquent! I'm in the Top 5 for academic performance, you know!" Ichigo shouted at her, much to her amusement. Ichigo himself felt a moment of horror as he unconsciously mimicked Dondochakka's annoying verbal tick.

'Fuck! I'm was spending too much time with those crazy bastards.' He thought with dread.

"Really? You could have fooled me. Look at you, you're what? 6'1? 6'2? You have bright orange hair and ominous red eyes. The only thing you're missing is a few tattoos and maybe a piercing and you're good to go." She said, giving him a cheesy thumbs up. He had a tick mark on his forehead at her teasing.

"You certainly have gotten ballsy to say that to my face, haven't you?" Ichigo threatened, his red eyes glowing menacingly as he tried to intimidate Tatsuki. She wasn't even fazed though as she scoffed at him.

"Please, save it for whatever local gang you plan on beating up after school. There's nothing you can do to intimidate a girl who saw you burst into tears after you lost your first karate spar." She said mockingly. Her smile widened when she heard Ichigo growling next to her. It was so easy to rile him up. She sobered up though when she thought about what she wanted to ask him. "Are you doing okay?"

Ichigo looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, sensing the weight of her question. Her face showed that she was quite serious. He read between the few lines that she provided him to know that she was referring to him not being involved in the supernatural world. He found it strange that she asked him this after almost 15 months, but he realised that she was never one to be big on the whole emotional crap. She was a woman of action. But, it seems that she's also doing a bit of growing up.

Ichigo gave her a smirk in response.

"You don't need to worry about me. Things are just as they always have been and I don't plan on changing." He told her, his answer riddled with double meanings that completely went over her head.

"I see. That's good." She said with a small smile as she joined him in looking out into the city, enjoying the soft breeze blowing through the air.

Nothing else was said as the two friends enjoyed the silence and the presence of the other. That silence was broken though, by a beeping coming from Ichigo's pocket.

His eye's widened when he heard that sound. He realised that it was from his personal communications device. The only people who had its frequency were the Arrancar since Ichigo told them to give him a call if they were ever in trouble. They knew he was at school right now and knew not to call him unnecessarily. Meaning it must have been really important. His blood chilled as the worst case scenario played out in his mind.

He hurriedly pulled out the device, flipped it open and held it to his ear. He had noticed that it wasn't a regular call but a three-way-call.

"This is Ichigo." He said, before the frantic sounds of a woman's voice could be heard from the other line. The more she spoke the deeper his frown became, until he was glowering with rage. "Okay. Just hold on, I'll be on my way." He replied before he shut the device and taking off.

"Ichigo! Wait! What's happening?" Tatsuki asked worriedly, having picked up the general tone of the conversation. Ichigo paused before turning to look at her.

"A friend of mine is in trouble and she needs my help. I'm going to her. Tell my sisters the situation. They'll understand." He replied before breaking into a sprint, ignoring her pleas to wait.

Tatsuki frowned, having a sense of Deja-vu. She remembered something similar happening all those months ago. But it couldn't be…right?

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

Ichigo never stopped as he broke into a sprint that would have made Olympic runners jealous. He passed the school gates, sped down the street and into an alley. He looked around him, spreading his senses. When he found no trace of anyone around him, he slipped into his personal dimension. Once the world turned red, Ichigo vanished in a blur of **Shunpo**. Instead of heading to the Kurosaki household, he headed to the other side of town. He stopped in front of a set of apartment buildings, before entering then one labelled 3B. He bought this apartment with the money he got from Yukio, not just to have his own place once he eventually move out of his old home, but also in case of situations like this when he couldn't afford to just leave his body lying at home. He didn't know how long he was going to be and there was only so much that his sisters could cover up for him until it got suspicious.

Ichigo slipped back into the 'real world', hurriedly ejected his soul from his body, before slipping back into his personal dimension. He wasted no time in opening a Garganta and making his way towards Hueco Mundo.

He was deposited on sands of Hueco Mundo as he exited the Garganta. After touching down, he concentrated and spread his senses as far as he could. He got the 'ping' he was looking for as he located the familiar reiatsu.

He burst into action with his **Shunpo** once again, heading to what he remembered as the Menos Forest, as he felt one of the signatures slowly fading. It took him only a few seconds but he eventually got there in time to see a man dressed in a white military ensemble about to bring his sword down on the bloody and torn up Harribel. She was barely able to stand and her legs were trembling. Behind her lay the bleeding forms of her Fracción, each clearly having taken severe damage.

That wasn't what worried him though. No. It was the defeated posture that Harribel was currently sporting. Her shoulders were hunched, her sword was hanging limply from her hands and her face showed resignation and acceptance. Ichigo didn't like it at all.

In a fraction of a second, before anyone could so much as blink, Ichigo was between the man and Harribel, catching the sword with his bare hand and his eyes drilled a hole into the shocked visage of the man.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't swing such a dangerous weapon at my friend." Ichigo warned as he backhanded the man into one of the large quartz trees. Behind him, Ichigo could hear Harribel sigh in relief. "Take it easy, Tier. I'll handle it from here." He commanded.

….

 _Minutes Prior…_

"You've put up an admirable fight, Miss Espada. Taking me on while protecting those three behind you is nothing to be ashamed about. Which is why I want to propose that you surrender. You can rest assured that I have no doubt you will be of great use to His Majesty. I can assure you that there is no greater joy in serving our Lord."

The man who spoke was of above average height and was fully decked out in a white double breasted trench coat with a small white cape hanging from his shoulders and stopping mid-torso. He also wore white trousers and boots along with a black belt on his waist. He had a white military cap with a black visor on his head along with circular framed sunglasses. His hair was black and straight as it stopped just above his ear on his right side while the left seemed to be shorter.

Harribel was knowledgeable enough to know that this man was a Quincy. He introduced himself as the Captain of the Jagdamee and Sternritter 'J' of His Majesty's Wandenreich, Quilge Opie. She wasn't sure what his titles were supposed to mean, but she knew he was strong. He was obviously someone high up on the chain of whatever army he was part of. He was easily at the level of someone like Grimmjow in his sealed state. In a one-on-one fight, Harribel knew that she could defeat him. It didn't help that he received a huge boost in power when he removed his glove before suddenly sprouting glowing blue wings and a halo. His power increased exponentially from that point on. But still not to the point that would trouble her. The problem was that he seemed to know her weakness as he kept targeting her Fracción, forcing her to intercept and take the damage instead. It also didn't help that he had a lot of foot soldiers with him that he didn't mind throwing at her, not caring if they died or not if it meant giving him a small opening in her defences.

She was stuck fighting a battle of attrition. She was perceptive enough to know that she would not win. But she had to try to hold out for as long as possible. She didn't care if she were to die here today, but if it meant that her Fracción were to be endangered…then she would hold out as long as possible.

Seeing the defiance in her eyes, Quilge smiled thinly. He knew just the thing to take the fight out of here.

"If possible, I would prefer not to kill you. Your skill, intelligence and strength would all greatly benefit His Majesty. Which is why I wish to offer you a proposition." He said with a single finger raised. Harribel felt a chill down her spine at the look he was giving her. "Surrender yourself to the Wandenreich, and I will spare your companions and allow them to walk away."

Harribel froze on the spot as her mind processed what she just heard. She was now positive that this man knew exactly who she was and that everything he did until this point was for this very moment. It frustrated her to think that she so easily played into the enemy's hand, but she knew that there was only one choice. It was one that she would make without hesitation.

"Very well. I surrender." She replied softly, her sword falling limply in her hands and her body sagged in defeat. She knew that she had made the right choice and she wasn't afraid of the consequences of it. Her aspect of death was 'Sacrifice'. It was something that she took pride in and even in this moment, she took pride in knowing that her sacrifice will allow her beloved Fracción to live on. She only regretted that she wouldn't be able to be with them any longer. That she wouldn't be able to enjoy the colourful days at Las Noches. It was natural to feel that way. She could only hope they didn't try to avenge her. But knowing how stubborn her girls were, that was exactly what they were going to do.

She waited, listening to his footsteps growing closer, to be incapacitated. Her head was bowed and she felt her strength leave her. She saw the steel of his sword glint as he brought it down on her. She had resigned herself to her fate…but it seemed that it wasn't to be.

She felt a slight breeze between her and the man, Quilge. She looked up to see the back of a dark grey trench coat and a mop of bright orange hair as its owner caught the sword meant to cut her down with his bare hands.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't swing such a dangerous weapon at my friend." Ichigo warned as he backhanded the man into one of the large quartz trees. Harribel sighed in relief as she took in the visage of the orange-haired enigma that often plagued her thoughts. It seems that the once feared Tercera Espada has been reduced to nothing but a damsel in distress, similar to those in the books she reads. She didn't like it one bit. She regards herself as a proud and formidable warrior. Which is why it was so mortifying to be rescued like this. She wouldn't complain though, for who know what would have happened to her, or if the man would even keep his promise about her Fracción. She was definitely going to train if they get out of this. She's been getting a bit slack in her training these last few months and she needs to change that. "Take it easy, Tier. I'll handle it from here." Ichigo commanded her. Normally, she wouldn't ever take orders from a man…especially considering her past. But having gotten to know Ichigo over these months and understanding him a little better…she decided that the least she could do was give him the benefit of the doubt. It annoyed her though, that he called her by her first name so casually. It was all Nelliel's fault.

…

 _Current time…_

Ichigo's analytical gaze swept across the opponents before him. They were all dressed in the same white military uniform with nothing else to distinguish them. If what he felt from their power levels, they were most probably common foot soldiers. Unlike the man he backhanded into one of the 'trees'. He had quite a few distinguishing badges pinned on his uniform, signifying him as the superior of the rest of them. His power was nothing to sneeze at either. Ichigo would put him at the level of one of the lower tier captains. The sound of rubble moving drew his attention.

"What a rare sight. A Shinigami coming to the rescue of an Arrancar." Quilge said as he walked out of the rubble, calmly dusting off his uniform as he turned his attention to Ichigo. "Then again, you always have been a bit of an enigma, Kurosaki Ichigo." He said as he pushed his glasses up with his index finger.

"I would like to say I'm surprised that you know who I am, but I'm not. It seems that everyone in the spiritual world has an unhealthy interest in me and it's honestly creepy as fuck. So let's skip all the pointless banter and get to the point where you tell me what you want and who's the big boss in charge of your sorry ass." Ichigo drawled out, his eyes showing clearly that he was in no mood to mess around. He was extremely upset at the condition that Tier was in and he was looking for some retribution.

"Hahaha! I'm impressed. It seems that the Daten was grossly misleading. We were told that you were currently just and ordinary human. I must congratulate you on pulling the wool over everyone's eyes. Please, allow me to introduce myself. Captain of the Jagdamee and Sternritter 'J' of His Majesty's army, The Wandenreich, Quilge Opie" He introduced himself with a short bow, before snapping to attention. "We were told of how dangerous you were before you supposedly lost your power. Seeing as we were misinformed, I'm going to operate under the impression that you are just as powerful, if not more compared to the time you fought Aizen Souske. As such, I will treat you as a Special War Potential." He said before raising his hand and pointing his finger at Ichigo. "Soldat!" At his command, a large chunk of the foot soldiers behind him charged forward, intent on taking Ichigo out.

Ichigo just looked on with bored eyes. He didn't even bother to defend himself, as he didn't need to. Just as the Soldat were closing in on him, a royal blue **Cero** tore through their ranks. Those fortunate Soldat that survived the blast were introduced to another world of pain as a green and white blur decimated them in close combat. As the last of them fell, Ichigo heard the distinctive static sound of **Sonído** as two figures landed beside him.

"Looks like we've got some unpleasant company. Thing are never boring with you around, Ichigo." Starrk said languidly from his position at Ichigo's right as he sent a small smirk at his friend.

"It's not my fault that all these weirdo's are drawn to me. It must be my sparkling personality." Ichigo shot back.

"Tier! You're a mess." Nel called out as she went to Harribel's side, offering her shoulder as support.

"Nelliel…Starrk as well. How?" She managed to get out, obviously not in the best condition.

"You can thank Sung-Sun for that. She was smart enough to secretly use her communications device and place it on a three-way-call, to us at Las Noches and to Ichi. We got the gist of the situation and rushed over her as soon as we could. It seems like Ichi beat us here though." Nel explained to her, though she did finish her sentence with a pout. Harribel just let out a sigh in relief. It seems her girls came through for her when she was in a pinch. She would make sure to thank them when they got out of this. "It seems that we now have the answer as to what the strange disturbances in the Menos Forest were. There sure are a lot of them." Nel pointed out.

"Most of them are weak though. They won't be much of a problem. It's the one with the wings who's in charge here. I'll take him on and extract as much information out of him as possible. Starrk, you take care of the foot soldiers around him and keep them out of my fight. Leave at least one of them alive though. And Nel, you watch over Tier and her Fracción, make sure they aren't caught up in our battles." Ichigo ordered. Starrk and Nel didn't even hesitate to carry out his orders, having no problems with deferring to him as their leader. Ichigo didn't even realise it, but he had quite the commanding presence. It was one of the reasons that, as Hollow's, they had no problem following the obviously more powerful teen. The other, and most important, was that they trusted Ichigo with their lives and knew that he would always do his best for them. Where he would lead…they would happily follow.

Without anything else needing to be said, Starrk disappeared in a buzz of **Sonído** before situating himself within the circle of the Soldat. He could have easily used his **Cero** and vaporised the lot of them but he decided that it was a good time as any to stretch his muscles a bit. Plus, Ichigo wanted one of these guys alive so he wouldn't take any chances and accidentally kill them all.

"This is most displeasing. Not only were we misinformed about you, Kurosaki Ichigo, but also about the fact the Primera Espada is still alive. Not to mention the former Tercera Espada seems to have regained her original form. This is unacceptable. His Majesty will no doubt be furious at the lacklustre work that seems to have gone into constructing the Daten." He said before swinging his sword in front of him, rapidly gathering the reishi particles around him in the form of a large blue arrow. With a flick of his wrist, the arrow went careening towards Ichigo, who disinterestedly smacked it away with the back of his hand. Instead of being upset, Quilge seemed pleased. "Marvellous! For you to so casually bat away my **Heilig Pfeil** , you truly are a dangerous individual." He said before looking at Ichigo with a dangerous smirk. "Which is why I can't allow you to live. You are a danger to His Majesty's plans. I will give my life here today so that his glorious crusade will go on unimpeded!" He shouted before charging at Ichigo with impressive speeds.

Ichigo was a little weirded out by the guy's seemingly fanatical loyalty. He knew he would need to take him on seriously though. He didn't seem to mind dying as long as it meant that he took Ichigo with him. Those were the worst, and most dangerous kinds of opponents to have. He would need to be on the lookout for any kamikaze attacks. Not to mention, this was his first real fight since his battle with Aizen. Sure, he trained with his sisters and some of the Arrancar but that wasn't the same as a life and death battle. He would need to shake off the rust and get into the swing of things once again.

As Quilge sped towards him, Ichigo intercepted him with his Zanpakutō, locking them in a stalemate. They continued at that pace for a few minutes. Neither putting too much effort into it as they tried to get a feel for the other and find any gaps in their technique. As they locked blades once again, Ichigo took one hand off his sword, using his superior power to hold his opponent in place, before lifting up his free hand and pointed his finger at Quilge's heart.

" **Hado #4: Byakurai"**

It was only the instinctual use of **Hirenkyaku** that prevented his heart from being pierced. He didn't escape unscathed though as his right shoulder was pierced by the beam of lightning. Ichigo didn't stop to admire his work though. As soon as Quilge vanished and avoided the fatal applications of his **Byakurai** , Ichigo blurred from his spot and came to a stop right next to Quilge just a fraction of a second after the man appeared in that spot. It shocked him greatly that Ichigo outstripped him in speed by such a large margin which was why he could do nothing to defend himself against the oncoming attack.

Ichigo rapidly swung his blade across Quilge's chest, opening a large cut going diagonally across his torso, blood bursting from the cut. He didn't allow Quilge to dwell on the pain though as he kicked him in the stomach sending him flying back and crashing into one of the quartz trees, kicking up quite a bit of dust.

As Ichigo lowered his leg, he frowned deeply at what he had just seen. Quilge didn't notice it, as Ichigo's blade speed was too fast for his eyes to follow, but he was actually cut twice in rapid succession…only the second cut drew blood though. With the first cut, Ichigo activated the ability he took from Tsukishima, and 'read' the past of Quilge. Needless to say, he was not pleased in the slightest. He had known that this day would eventually come…but he didn't think that Yhwach would be making his move so soon. If what he 'read' was any indication…if a war were to break out between the Quincy and the Shinigami right now….the Shinigami would be annihilated.

The technological breakthroughs made by the Quincy coupled with the stagnant nature of the Gotei 13, who refused to give up their old ways, would ensure that the Quincy would come out on top. While he had no particular love for the Gotei 13, he wouldn't allow them to be slaughtered. He understood their necessity and would therefore try to ensure that they at least had a fighting chance against their age old enemy.

Not to mention, he had his own bone to pick with Yhwach. He knew that he would eventually join this war, destroying his hope of anonymity. But it was inevitable. He knew that he couldn't remain hidden forever and that something would eventually draw him out. He was okay with that, for he would do it on his own terms. He would fight because he wanted to and not because Soul Society needed him to. His friends were also targeted and that was a sure-fire way to get yourself to the top of Ichigo's shit list.

He put those thoughts out of his mind though as a hail of blue arrows raced towards him, intent on poking him full of more holes than Swiss cheese. He didn't flinch though.

" **Bakudo #81: Danku"**

A rectangular wall sprung up in front of Ichigo, preventing the arrows from reaching him. The barrier stayed firm even as the arrows continuously battered into them.

It seemed that Quilge used the attack as a distraction though as a glowing blue cage encased Ichigo. He looked around curiously, inspecting the integrity of the structure.

"I am impressed that you managed to penetrate my **Blut**. But it was all for naught in the end. I was gifted the letter 'J' by His Majesty. I am 'The Jail'. That jail is indestructible! No Shinigami will be able to escape my prison, Kurosaki Ichigo! Be grateful. You have shown me your impressive power therefore I will take you to my Lord. He will be most interested in meeting you." Quilge bragged as he used his **Blut** abilities to stem the flow of blood to his wound.

Ichigo didn't look particularly bothered as he analysed the cage, curious as to how powerful it was. When he was done he turned his disinterested gaze to Quilge.

"It seems you really are horribly misinformed. I'm surprised that Yhwach didn't tell you everything you needed to know about me. It certainly put you at a disadvantage."

"Silence, you mongrel! How dare you so casually speak His Majesty's name!" Quilge admonished fiercely.

"I'm always having to do this and it's honestly becoming kind of annoying. I'm actually considering having a T-shirt made just to skip that part where I have to clarify this. Open your ears and listen carefully Mr Sternritter…I. Am. Not. A. Shinigami." Ichigo said, punctuating each word of his last sentence as he casually swept his arm to the side, destroying the prison as easily as one would shatter glass.

Quilge felt his eyes widen at the casual display of power. Unfortunately for him, Ichigo was done playing around and got all that he needed to from the man. While Quilge was still frozen in disbelief Ichigo pointed the index and middle finger of his left hand at the Quincy, a dark purple orb of energy coalescing at the tip. Quilge only had enough time for his eyes to widen in fear before it was all over.

" **Cero"**

The doom blast tore through the ground as it reached him, vaporising his head and a portion of his upper torso. His body was still for a moment, before it dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief before shaking his head to rid himself of unnecessary thoughts. He heard footsteps approaching him and looked to see Starrk walk over to him, not a speck of dust on him. He pointed his thumb over his shoulder as he looked at Ichigo.

"I left one alive like you asked. I knocked him unconscious though." He informed Ichigo lazily.

Ichigo just nodded in response before walking over to Quilge's body. He put his hand in the man's left pocket and pulled out the medallion he was looking for. It was a palm-sized white medallion with a black 5 pointed star on the face of it. After he pocketed it, he turned his attention to the corpse.

" **Hado #54: Haien"**

A burst of purple flames shot towards the corpse covering it completely, slowly incinerating it.

Once his work was done Ichigo walked back to Starrk, giving him a nod.

"Good work you lazy bastard." He jibed. Starrk just flipped him the bird in response. As they passed the bodies of the Soldat that Starrk disposed of, Ichigo found the one that was left alive.

" **Bakudo #63: Sajo Sabaku"**

Chains of light wrapped around the Soldat, tightly binding him in place as Ichigo moved onto a more priority target.

He came to a stop in front of Harribel and her Fracción, with Nel diligently watching over them. Harribel was still conscious and seemed to be fine for the most part. The blood from her wounds had stopped and she was just fighting fatigue at this point. Her Fracción were still unconscious though. Ichigo decided that it was time to get to work. He drew his Zanpakutō and held it to his side.

" **Fade to Black, Mugetsu"**

Unlike when he first released it in front of them, he skipped the flashy display and focused on simply releasing his sword. Once that was done, he focused his power on the four of them. A large translucent purple dome covered all of them as his ability took effect.

" **Temporal Reversion"**

Harribel closed her eyes as Ichigo worked his magic on them. In a matter of seconds their wounds had vanished and they were at full strength once again. After he was done, Ichigo released the dome and silently resealed his sword. He gave a nod to Harribel who silently conveyed her gratefulness to him with her eyes. Nothing needed to be said as he understood what was left unsaid.

Once he was done, he walked over to the Soldat who was still unconscious and bound. Ichigo swung his sword through him, drawing absolutely no blood and leaving no mark. He released his **Bakudo** and moved back to the rest.

"Our work here is done, let's go." Ichigo ordered. The others were in no mood to argue even though they were curious to know what he did. The each took a hold of one of Harribel's Fracción before using **Sonído** to move towards Las Noches, Ichigo gliding right next to them with **Shunpo**.

By the time they got back to Las Noches, Harribel's Fracción had awakened. They gathered the rest of the Arrancar and called for a meeting in the conference room. Ichigo unconsciously sat at the head of the table, with none of the others even making a single move of protest against it. He looked at the rest of them as they took their seat and got the meeting started.

"First off, how did the four of you end up in the Menos Forest?" He asked Harribel. His face was devoid of its usual warmth as it showed that he meant business right now.

"There were disturbing reports from some of the lesser Hollow's of strange activity happening in the Menos Forest. We were a bit sceptical at first, but we asked Pesche to check the scanners just in case." Harribel stated, before passing the initiative over the stern looking Pesche.

"The scanners and surveillance devices located at the most important parts of Hueco Mundo are still very much operational, despite Aizen not being here anymore. Through the use of these systems, we found that the number of Hollow's in the Menos Forest were dropping at an alarming rate. At first we thought it may have been a newly evolved Vasto Lorde, but quickly dismissed that thought as the largest signature we could pick up didn't belong to a Hollow. It was on this basis that it was decided that Harribel-sama and her Fracción would go in to investigate the root of the problem." He explained with military precision. If the situation wasn't so serious, Ichigo was positive his jaw would be hitting the ground. It was suddenly becoming clear to Ichigo why Nel chose him as her Fracción. Behind his goofball exterior was a highly intelligent and analytical mind.

"When we first entered the forest, it was quiet. Too quiet for my liking. The nature of the forest makes it hard to pick up reiatsu signatures if you're not already familiar with them. As such, the deeper we went, the more unsettled I began to feel. I was about to give the order to turn around and head back to Las Noches, when we surrounded. As you saw earlier, they were soldiers dressed in all white with that man, Quilge Opie leading them." Ichigo and the others nodded at her explanation. "We didn't feel their presence until it was too late. Normally, I wouldn't have much of a problem with the man. I estimated his power being somewhere between Zommari and Grimmjow. I knew I could defeat him in a one-on-one battle, but he seemed to have the measure of me as he took advantage of my weak point. He continuously targeted the girls, forcing me to defend them after which he would land hits on me." Apacci, Mila-Rose and Sung-Sun looked down in shame. "He didn't have much regard for the soldiers around him either as he used them in kamikaze attacks to make an opening in my guard. I still managed to hold them off until that point, but the situation changed when he activated his ability. When removed his glove, his reiatsu rose exponentially. He grew those large blue wings and a halo appeared on his head. He called it Vollständig. It seems to operate similarly to our Resurreccion or the Shinigami Bankai. At that point, things became more difficult and I was steadily sustaining more damage. I realised that I would eventually lose the longer the battle went on. I was resigned to fight to the end, but the man seemed to have information on me, as he made an offer I couldn't refuse. He offered to allow my Fracción to go free if I surrendered. I of course took the offer. He was about to cut me down when you arrived, Kurosaki Ichigo." Harribel finished. Ichigo closed his eyes, digesting the information. The Tres Bestias were in tears as they heard the sacrifice their mistress was willing to make for them. It only solidified their resolve to follow her till the end.

"That was quick thinking on your part, Sung-Sun. Your excellent grasp of the situation saved the lives of your comrades. Good job." Ichigo praised, causing the girl to hide her blush behind her sleeve as all attention moved to her. "The enemy was a Quincy. I'm sure you have gathered that much. From what I extracted from him, he was part of the Wandenreich, the personal army of the Quincy Emperor, Yhwach. They are based in a fortress they call Silbern. Quilge referred to himself as a 'Sternritter'. Those refer to the top generals in the Wandenreich. There are 26 of them, one for each letter of the alphabet. Each of them is a Captain-class fighter. As Harribel stated, they have an ability called Vollständig which is an improved version of the Letz Stil. It grants them an exponential boost in power. That isn't the most concerning thing though." He stated as he pulled out the medallion he took from Quilge and placed it on the table for all to see. "Using this device, they apparently have the ability to steal a Bankai"

There was shocked silence in the room at that piece of information.

"Is that even possible?" Nel questioned dubiously.

"Apparently, it is." Ichigo answered grimly. "What's more…Yhwach intends to start a war. He seeks the destruction of the Soul Society." There were grave faces as they understood the ramifications of such a thing happening. "Now, I have no love for the Soul Society, but if Yhwach succeeds and supplants the Gotei 13 with his Wandenreich…then the entire balance of the world will collapse. What's more, he seems to want to have a foothold in Hueco Mundo. That's why he sent Quilge. He was meant to capture you Harribel, the current Queen of Hueco Mundo, and use you as an example to draft Arrancar into his army as kamikaze soldiers."

Harribel furrowed her brow in annoyance while the Tres Bestias look murderous. There were a lot of worried looks passed around the table.

"I know what you are thinking, and I don't like it either…But it looks like we will be drawn into this war whether we like it or not." He informed them. The three former Espada looked resigned to it, having expected as much. Lilynette looked a little worried while the Tres Bestias seemed to be itching to get their hands on the Quincy. "However, just because it is inevitable, doesn't mean that we have to just go with the flow. We will fight this war on our own terms." He added with a smirk, getting interested looks from the rest. "Firstly, nobody should leave the confines of Las Noches for the foreseeable future. Pesche, what kind of security measure does Las Noches have? I'm hoping that Aizen's OCD ensured that he installed a force field generator into the schematics." He asked.

"He did. There is a function that allows a powerful force field to envelop the entirety of Las Noches. However, it needs an obscenely large amount of reiatsu to activate it. It also needs to be fed reiatsu every five days to keep it solid." Pesche stated.

"Excellent. Starrk you're in charge of powering that force field." Ichigo ordered.

"Eh? Why me? You could easily power it." Starrk pointed out

"I could. But with you powering it, the force field will be a far more powerful deterrent against any Quincy. A little known fact is that Hollow reiatsu is absolutely poisonous to any Quincy. As such, a force field powered by the reiatsu of the most powerful Hollow will be something that will be extremely difficult for any of them to overcome." Ichigo explained. Starrk nodded in acceptance, seeing the wisdom behind the decision. "I plan on anonymously tipping off the Gotei 13 to the threat. Whether they take it seriously or not doesn't matter to us. But for the next few months…you guys are going to be training your asses off."

That got him a few skeptical looks, as they were unsure why he was suggesting it.

"Err…Ichi. Not to argue with you or anything…but…why would we need to train?" Nel asked as she cutely tilted her head.

"As you are now, I have no doubt you can take a few of the Sternritter down. However, there are a few of them who can overpower you as you currently are. Not to mention the strange abilities they seem to possess. I mean no offence, but currently only Starrk has any chance of taking on any of the Sternritter and be sure he would come out alive." Ichigo said bluntly. "So you guys will be training, you as well Starrk, to reach the next level." Ichigo finished with a smirk.

"Next level?" Harribel questioned with a quirked eyebrow.

"Yup. Let me ask you a question. Amongst the Espada, both current and former…who was the most powerful?" Ichigo questioned Harribel. She looked exasperated at his roundabout way of answering her question but complied nonetheless.

"It was stated that Yammy was the most powerful, as he had the most reiatsu. But everyone knew that Starrk was really the strongest of all of us." She answered dutifully.

"Wrong!" He answered. "No offence buddy, but you're the second strongest Arrancar that I've ever met." Ichigo said to Starrk, getting an interested look from the man. "The most powerful of you lot, was Ulquiorra."

"Really?" Lilynette asked curiously. Ichigo looked around the table to see a lot of curious faces looking at him. They all knew that he wouldn't make stuff up and believed what he said. They wanted to know the motivation he provided though.

"Yes. In your base form, you outstrip him by miles. I've seen both of you in Resurreccion, and your power is still greater than his at that point. But that's where he has you beat. He achieved a higher level of power which, according to him, no other Arrancar achieved. He called it Resurreccion: Segunda Etapa. A second release that bolstered his power astronomically, putting him at higher level than you in your Resurreccion Starrk." Ichigo explained to them, getting shocked looks.

"No way!"

"A second release?"

"Is that even possible?"

The Tres Bestias reacted while the others looked contemplative.

"It is possible, and I want you guys to spend the next few months trying to unlock it in preparation of the war that's sure to come." He informed them. He got nods of acceptance from them showing that, despite their outward appearance, they were quite eager to explore this next level of power. "Of course, I will help you out in your efforts. I know that you former Espada are normally prohibited from releasing your swords within Las Noches but we can disregard that rule in light of the circumstances. Try to minimize the energy exerted outwards from your releases as much as possible and I will repair whatever damage is done to Las Noches with my powers." He said, getting relieved looks from the former Espada. "Plus, thanks to my Zanpakutō's ability, I will be able to erect a time dilation field around you guys, allowing you more time to train whenever I'm here." There were a lot of excited looks at the thought of that. He picked up the medallion and tossed it to Pesche and Dondochakka. "I want you two to analyse that and tell me as much as you can about it." He ordered.

"You got it, boss." Pesche saluted comically, getting a sweat-drop from Ichigo at his return to his normal personality.

"Hold on a second, Ichigo." Starrk called out, drawing Ichigo's attention to him. "Why did you allow that one soldier to live? More importantly, you obviously altered his memories. So what's the deal?" Starrk questioned, getting looks of recognition from Nel and Harribel.

"Well, if we had killed them all…who knows how many more reinforcements they would have sent to scout the cause? They could have even sent a handful of Sternritter. You guys aren't prepared for that just yet. So I left one of them alive to report back to his superiors. They obviously didn't know that you were still alive Starrk, plus he also saw Nel. Hopefully that will be enough to serve as a deterrent to them as I doubt they would want to storm this place to take you guys on knowing that there are 3 former Espada still here, including the Primera. The casualties they are sure to take could prove a detriment to their war efforts. Hence, I allowed him to go. I also altered his memory of my involvement. They obviously don't know that I still have my powers and we can use that to our advantage. So I removed any memory he had of me." Ichigo explained, getting an impressed look from Harribel and a nod of acceptance from Starrk.

"But Ichi, if you removed yourself from his memory…who will he tell defeated Quilge Opie?" Nel asked curiously. Ichigo gave her an evil looking grin in response, something that made her shudder in pleasure.

"I removed myself and inserted someone else." He stated with a smirk. "Someone that owes a long overdue debt. I'm sure he won't mind me cashing it in."

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

Ichigo let out a yawn as he stretched his body. He was currently walking down the street, heading towards the Kurosaki household. He had finished up his business in Hueco Mundo and decided that it was time to get home. He left them to carry out their training in whatever ways they were comfortable with. He would be sure to stop by tomorrow to help them out.

After returning from Hueco Mundo, he picked up his human body from his apartment and decided to take a night time stroll home to help organise his thought of a pretty eventful day. It was currently just after eight and the cool night time breeze felt quite pleasant on his skin.

Ichigo's thoughts inevitably turned toward the Wandenreich. According the timetable that Quilge Opie was given, there was at least four months left till their first offensive on Soul Society. Ichigo knew it would be enough time for his friends to get ready. He was positive that the former Espada at the very least could awaken their Segunda Etapa, especially with his ability aiding them. The problem was that there was no concrete method to go about it. Ulquiorra was very secretive about his ability to the point that Ichigo was the only person who had witnessed it. Ichigo suggested trying Jinzen, but he wasn't sure if Arrancar had what can be considered an Inner World. For now, it was the best that he could offer. He would need to do a bit more research and dig through whatever archives Aizen kept at Las Noches to see what he could gather about Arrancar. For now though, he would just allow them to try on their own and see if they could get even a sliver of results.

He kept his word when he spoke about informing the Gotei 13 about the threat to their organisation. Whether they took his warning to heart or brushed it off was not his business. He knew that the Sou-taicho would just scoff at the warning, that old bastard was far too stubborn to take advice from anybody. Given that he provided the information was given as an anonymous tip only compounded the possibility of him ignoring it. He knew the possibility of that happening was high, but he didn't care. He was positive the more sensible Captains like Kyōraku, Ukitake or Unohona at least take the warning seriously enough to do their own investigations to determine the validity of the information. That was enough for him. Those three would discreetly pass on the information to their Lieutenants and tighten up the training schedules of their squads. They are not as rigid as the Sou-taicho and if that gave them even a 0.1% greater chance of winning…then his work was done. It may not have helped that he wasn't as serious he could be in his writing style. Oh well…

He discreetly slipped the 'letter' in while they were in the middle of a Captains meeting. Surprisingly, the Lieutenants were present as well which made his objective easier. It was laughably easy to break in and get out without being detected. He felt like face-palming at their lax behaviour.

He was happy to see that Rukia finally got promoted. While he may not be their biggest fan at the moment, Ichigo was never one to hold a pointless grudge and he was happy that his former friend was moving up in the world.

Ichigo was surprised to spot his Vizard friends, Shinji, Kensei and Rose standing in the lineup along with Mashiro. It seemed as though they had finally taken back their positions. He was happy for them. He didn't know whether the Sou-taicho pulled some strings to get them re-instated or whether the Central 46 were terrified about the bad publicity they were no doubt getting once the truth behind Aizen's actions and his role in the experiments done to the former Captains were spread amongst the common people. Giving them back their positions was probably a way to take some of the heat off themselves and soothe a few tempers. In any event, this worked out even better. He was positive those three would take the treat seriously as well, for they knew better than anyone else the consequences of underestimating valuable intelligence and the trouble it could possibly bring.

Ichigo put those thoughts out of his mind as he stopped at a vending machine, hoping to get a sports drink. He reached for his wallet and cursed when he took a peek inside.

"Damn. I'm out of change." He cursed. He sighed in annoyance and decided to just leave it be…when a small red pouch with pink hearts suddenly landed on the ground next to him.

Ichigo started blankly at the pouch with half-lidded eyes, wondering if he was really seeing this. He saw a flash of magenta out of the corner of his eye and sighed in exasperation. He knew exactly where this came from. Honestly, he didn't know why she was following him around…but she was absolutely horrible at it.

He noticed her a few days after the Fullbringer incident. There were times that his pencil broke or he needed a towel or he would forget his lunch…and those very things would mysteriously appear next to him. His friends at school were a bit freaked out when it first happened, but now it was just a part of life. They chalked it up to a strange quirk of Ichigo's.

At first he was confused as to what she was doing. But it eventually became clear that she was stalking him. He felt a headache appear at that thought. He would have been worried, but he knew that the girl was completely harmless…for the most part. He wanted to call her out many times on it, but in the end he decided to leave it be. He didn't want to embarrass her. He would allow her to continue doing…whatever the hell she was doing and hope that she would finally gather up the courage to confront him with whatever she wanted. He would be lying if he said it wasn't entertaining though. At times he had to try so hard to be oblivious, but she made it difficult when she was so blatant with her actions. Yuzu thought it was adorable that he had an admirer while Karin mentioned that he needed to be careful she didn't drug him in his sleep and kidnap him and lock him in her basement. Ichigo laughed her off at first, but then he remembered her ability and his face paled rapidly. He decided that it was best not to think about it.

"Oh my. A pouch of change just appeared before me. It must me my lucky day. I must have a guardian angel." Ichigo spoke out loud, his voice bland and robotic as his face was set in a dead-pan. He could have sworn he heard a happy sigh from behind one of the light poles.

He put the money in and bought two sports drinks. He also pocketed the pouch, deciding to keep it as a souvenir. He drank his sports drink as he continued on his way, leaving the other on the bench next to the vending machine. He was sure she was thirsty and it was the least that he could do. He heard a muffled squeal from behind him but decided that he was better off not knowing.

'I wonder what Yuzu made for dinner.' He thought.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

…

Earlier in Soul Society…

It was a regular Captains meeting as the full assembly of the most powerful assets of the Gotei 13 lined up across from one another. The Sou-taicho was once again droning on about the importance of the Gotei 13 and the need to be solid in these times of peace.

Most of the Captains were tuning him out, already having grown tired of the same old speech. People like Shinji and Kyōraku were hoping something interesting would happen while some of the others just wanted this to be over so they could leave. It was only those like Komamura and Soi-Fon that were giving the Sou-taicho their full attention. The Lieutenants were doing their best to look attentive, except Rangiku and Yachiru, but were starting to crack under the sheer boredom and monotony of the meeting

Shinji and Kyōraku would get their wish though, as halfway into the meeting…a paper plane came gliding through one of the open windows. It was such an out of place sight that the entire meeting came to a halt as the Captains watched the strange contraption as it circled the room before heading straight to the Sou-taicho…crashing into his forehead.

There were a few snickers from the less mature Captains and Kenpachi didn't even try to hide his laughter. The Lieutenants knew better than to laugh…even though they really wanted to.

The Sou-taicho's impressive eyebrows twitched in annoyance before grabbing the letter and opening it up. He started reading out loud.

 _Dear members of the illustrious Gotei 13_

 _I Am Zero!_

 _No seriously, that's what you should call me. I know what you're thinking…_

' _This guy is totally ripping off Code Geass!'_

 _Right? Right?!_

 _Don't worry, I understand your feelings regarding that. I just couldn't come up with an original alias that was both cool and mysterious so I settled on this…please don't judge me._

 _Anyway, being the concerned and co-operative citizen that I am…I thought it my duty to pass on this bit of information that I happened to come across. You see, I was taking a stroll through the woods the other day and this weird looking pervert blocked my path. He called himself a Sternritter. Now, I know what you're thinking…_

' _That sounds gay as shit.'_

 _I totally agree with you! Anyway he identified himself as being a part of 'His Majesty's personal army, The Wandenreich'. Suffice to say, it became obvious that the guy was a Quincy with the amount of unnecessary German he was throwing around. It was actually kind of painful to listen to…especially considering he was actually speaking in Japanese. It made me want to rip my ears off. Which is a strange thing to feel as I'm quite attached to my ears. I was told that my earlobes are quite soft and attractive. Kaa-chan said it's one of my charm points._

 _Sorry, I digressed a bit there. So yeah, back to the German pervert. We fought a bit and it became apparent that he was at the least on the level of some of your weaker Captains. Like Komamura or Byakuya or Toshiro or that frigid bitch Soi-Fon._

 _It was quite distressing to my young and impressionable mind. It was compounded by the fact that he actually sprouted wings and a halo. I know! It was the craziest thing. I was like 'No fucking way!'_

 _But I'm serious! You have to believe me, Dumbledore! Apparently the 'real' Quincy, as he referred to himself and his comrades, have found a way to improve their Letz Stil so that they could use it without the unfortunate side effect. He referred to it as Vollständig. Pretty pretentious, I know. But the boost he got from it was nothing to sneeze at either. Apparently there were 25 other guys that were just as strong, if not stronger than him. Each representing a letter of the alphabet and each with a unique and deadly ability._

 _But the most important thing that he said…and the part that would interest you the most was the he bragged about being able to…_

 _DUN DUN DUN_

 _Steal a Bankai!_

 _Insert shocked face_

 _Scary right? He had this medallion with him that apparently was the medium that was used to steal them. I want to make it very clear right now…I do not condone stealing. It' wrong and totally not cool._

 _Anyway, I thought that it imperative that I pass this on considering that this idiot wouldn't shut up about the glorious conquest of the Gotei 13 that would happen in the next few months were the Wandenreich would storm Soul Society and massacre the Shinigami…led by their Emperor, Yhwach._

 _I thought the guy was joking…but when he looked so serious…I couldn't help but crack up. I couldn't believe how obnoxious this Emperor was. I mean, his name was similar to that of the Biblical God and I was like…really? But the guy was disturbingly fanatical towards his Emperor. It honestly creeped me the fuck out. I could have sworn the guy came in his pants as he spoke about how his glorious Emperor would slay that 'monster' Yamamoto Genry_ _ū_ _sai Shigekuni and lay waste to the 'accursed Shinigami'._

 _Hey don't be mad at me! I'm just repeating what he said. Anyway, I've enclosed some more details about the techniques he used at the back of this letter. Take what you will from what I said, but I assure you that this threat is real._

 _Anyway…that's all for me. I've got to be going. My_ _favourite_ _soap opera starts at four and I want to see whether Kimiko really is a man and has been pretending to be Kyouske's wife all this time when in reality he is his long lost twin brother. I was shocked when they revealed that at the end of last week episode. I'm burning to know more._

 _Toodles._

 _XOXO_

 _Gossip girl…_

 _Sorry, wrong show…I'm probably going to get fined for some copyright infringement because of that._

 _Yours in good faith_

 _Zero (Number One Neko-Mimi lover!)_

 _PS: How long did it take you to grow that motherfucking beard?! That shit is crazy!_

 _PPS: I think Lieutenant Isane is really sexy!_

You could almost count the number of tick marks on the Sou-taicho's forehead as he finished reading the letter. He was barely containing his temper but the rest of the room could feel the temperature rise.

Isane, for her part, blushed furiously at the comment regarding her. It didn't help that Rangiku was nudging her with her elbow with a sly look on her face.

There were a few grins and sniggers as the Sou-taicho was reading but now nobody thought it was funny if they were left to face his wrath. As the crux of the letter became more apparent to them, there were a few grave faces in the room. If what was said was true…then there was a great danger on the horizon.

The room exploded in discussion afterward as the Captains discussed the validity of the information and the possibility of the Quincy attacking.

 _ **(Scene Change)**_

The room was dimly lit as a badly beat up Soldat limped into the room, terrified of the consequences he was about to face. He got to the middle of the room took a knee and bowed towards the throne that was concealed by the shadows of the room.

"Speak Soldat. Why are you here alone? Where is Sternritter J?" The man sitting on the throne asked.

"Your Majesty, It was a travesty. The Daten was horribly misleading. We cornered the former Tercera Espada, Tier Harribel, just as you had ordered. Captain Quilge was in the process of capturing her when we were interrupted by a Shinigami. He claimed to be friends with the Arrancar. Not long after he arrived, the former Primera Espada, Coyote Starrk and former Tercera Espada Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck arrived as well. Both looked to be in perfect health. We were outnumbered and outgunned. The Primera Espada took out our Soldat and the Shinigami effortlessly defeated Captain Quilge. He didn't even use his Bankai. When I saw the tide turn in their favour, I used the cover of the fight and barely escaped with my life. I knew I had to get this information to you." The soldier explained. He was terrified for his life and was barely able to make it through his explanation. It was only the fear of him Emperor's wrath if he wasn't clear enough that helped him speak out properly.

There was no reply for a few moments and the man on the throne seemingly digested the information. The soldier started sweating uncontrollably the longer the silence went on.

"I see. This news is displeasing. It looks like I will have to look at this from a different angle." The man said. The soldier sighed in relief. That relief was short lived though as he was asked another question. "This Shinigami. Did he give you a name?"

"Yes. He identified himself as the former Substitute Shinigami…Kugo Ginjo." Those were the last words the soldier said as his body was bisected.

A toothy grin could be seen from the shadows of the throne.

"How amusing."

 **xxxxxxx**

 _ **Author Note:**_

 _Phew, that was a bit of a slog. There was quite a few different things happening in this chapter and a bit of foreshadowing for the coming chapters. I tried making this a bit lighter after the heavy themes of the last chapter._

 _As you can see, we are getting into the Thousand Year Blood War. Now, there wasn't a definitive timeline that was used but I'm going to make my own timeline._

 _As it stands, we are still two more months until the '17 month' period where Ichigo encountered the Fullbringers in canon._

 _I'm not sure how much time passed since that point and the start of the final arc. I'm going with the assumption of two months. So we've got about 4 months till the war starts on a full scale._

 _As you can see, since Ichigo is already a badass motherfucker…I'll try to focus the training efforts on our beloved Arrancar. As it stands, I have some rudimentary ideas for their second releases but some help in this area will be greatly appreciated. PM me if you have any suggestions._

 _As you may have noticed, I decided to make Pesche and Dondochakka the 'science officers' of the group. I don't know why but it just felt right to me. Especially considering that Nel was shown to be the most intellectual Espada (I'm not counting Szayel cause that fucker was annoying) so it makes sense that her Fracción possess a higher level of intelligence._

 _I'm unsure when Harribel when was captured because that point was never made clear in the manga, but I'm going with some time before the actual war. I'm not sure whether Haschwalth or Yhwach himself defeated her…as once again it was never clarified. But if Quilge was the one that took her out, considering he was the vanguard in Hueco Mundo…I can see him using a method like this._

 _ **Ichigo's behaviour last chapter:**_ _As a Guest reviewer and Cyboshi pointed out in their review…Ichigo's was out of character and cringe worthy in his resemblance to Aizen making it difficult to read….I want to say 'Thank you'…because that was exactly the reaction I was looking for._

 _Last chapter was meant to be introspective in terms of Ichigo's struggles. It was meant to show us Ichigo facing the reality of his actions. That it is all well and good to be willing to do what needs to be done…but actually taking action is far more difficult. Maybe my point was missed in my shitty writing…but I wanted to show that Ichigo…was so caught up in his anger and his rage that he took things a bit too far. Even if one is willing to do anything to protect what one wants to protect…there are certain lines that shouldn't ever be crossed. That's what I tried to show. Ichigo got so caught up in the moment, a bit drunk on his power that he 'played' with his victims. It would have been a different story if he had just killed them…he could somewhat accept the necessity of that…but he physically and psychologically tortured them. That was completely unlike him and afterwards he realised that…hence he referred to himself as a 'monster'. He unconsciously mimicked the guy who he sees as the biggest monster and the one who played the biggest role in his dealings in the spiritual world. It was once the adrenaline wore off and he stopped to look at himself that he realised what he had done…hence his little breakdown._

 _Being a young teen with the power to destroy the world at your fingertips…it's hard to lose perspective of the little things and get caught up in your own desires. As pointed out in Chapter 4, the world isn't all black and white…there are varying shades of grey…as such…Ichigo needs to find his 'grey'…that is…he needs to find his middle ground while staying true to his beliefs and convictions. Because at the end of the day…this is a story about Ichigo's journey to find his place in the world more than anything else. There may be a lot more struggles in the future that he may have to overcome. He may make more mistakes in the future. He is not a 'perfect' character. He has flaws and is trying to come to terms with them in his own way._

 _Anyway…I'm sorry if my writing didn't make that clear…I'll have to try a little better next time._

 _PS: To the Guest reviewer…yes I am non-Japanese…but I'm familiar with the way honorifics were meant to be used. Ichigo adding 'kun' to the end of Ginjo's name was meant to be condescending and mocking. He was speaking down to the guy and wanted him to know it. It was also meant to make you draw parallels with Aizen and see that Ichigo was a bit too caught up in the moment and realise that he was going too far. That he was so immersed in the act that he momentarily lost sight of himself._

 _Anyway, I have a few questions that I'm wondering if any of you readers would be so kind as to answer. It's surprising what you think of when you're actually writing a story…_

 _Is Ichigo actually dead? During the Shattered Shaft training…Tessai severed his Chain of Fate i.e. He severed Ichigo's link with his human body…meaning that Ichigo no longer has an anchor to the living world. Is he really just a dead guy now that is using his human body as a Gigai? What would happen if he were to be killed in his human body?_

 _Where is Silbern located? I remember reading somewhere that it was located in the shadow of the Seireitei…but what does that even mean?_

 _Are the Quincy in the Wandenreich still living humans or are they actually spirits? If so…where did they come from? Were they recruited from Soul Society when they passed on? Where do Quincy go if they die?_

 _I would appreciate it if anyone could answer these burning questions for me._

 _Updates will be a lot slower from now on as I switch my focus to my other stories which I've been neglecting. I'll try to do at least a chapter a week or so. If not…oh well…but I'll try not to leave it for too long._

 _Anyway, thanks for reading this chapter and leaving your wonderful reviews which have helped keep me motivated._

 _Till next time…_

 _Lionheart021 out!_


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